Canada

Hydro One rehires man fired after defending vulgar heckling of TV reporter

Shawn Simoes had been fired by Hydro One for defending use of 'FHRITP' phrase with City News reporter Shauna Hunt

Shauna Hunt interviews a Toronto FC soccer fan in Toronto on Sunday, May 10, 2015, in this video frame grab. (CITY NEWS/CP)

Shauna Hunt interviews a Toronto FC soccer fan in Toronto on Sunday, May 10, 2015, in this video frame grab. (CITY NEWS/CP)

TORONTO – Ontario’s largest electricity provider says it has rehired a Toronto engineer fired after soccer fans yelled sexually explicit taunts at a TV reporter this spring.

Shawn Simoes lost his job as an assistant network management engineer with Hydro One this May in connection with an incident at a Toronto FC game that was captured on camera and widely denounced on social media.

The company said at the time that he was terminated for violating its employee code of conduct.

Hydro One said Monday that the matter “was resolved through the arbitration process” during which the company “made its views very clear.”

Social media tips had identified Simoes as one of several hecklers caught on video hurling obscenities at CityNews reporter Shauna Hunt.

Hunt fought back by questioning the men about their conduct, but the video shows the men dismissing her questions.

She later said the confrontation came about after almost a year of nearly constant harassment.

Related:

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.