The protester who splattered Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew with red paint on Friday was trying to draw attention to the Canadian government's policy on Haiti.

In a statement posted on the Haiti Action website before he was arrested, Yves Engler said the paint was a symbol of the Haitian blood on Pettigrew's hands. The statement says he shouted "Pettigrew lies, Haitians die" during the incident.

"It is completely understandable that Canadians may be offended by the action taken this afternoon. I only ask them to consider whether they are offended by the real blood that is being spilled in Haiti every day, with the full support of Pierre Pettigrew and the Canadian government," he said.

The group says Canada backed the overthrow of the government of Jean-Bertrand Aristide, which has been followed by continuing violence.

Canada is contributing $180 million aid over two years and training Haitian police as part of the United Nations mission.

Haiti Action said "Canada-trained police have shot and killed (pro-democracy) protesters."

Engler was in court on Saturday, where charges of assault with a weapon and attacking a police officer were dropped. He will face a count of disturbing the peace on Aug. 8.

Engler, 26, was expelled from Montreal's Concordia University during a controversial visit by former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.