Estela Quintanilla, charged in Hamilton poppy assault talks - Toronto Star

Estela Quintanilla speaks to The Spectator following violent Nov. 1 incident at Mandarin restaurant.

Kenneth Kunkel with his wife Shelly and two of his four grandkids, Chase and Alannah. Kunkel suffered a serious spinal injury in the Nov. 1 incident.

Estela Quintanilla, who is charged in the assault of an air cadet commander that left him with serious spinal injuries, says she was only trying to defend two children she believed were in danger.

She is seated at her dining table in a small apartment in east Hamilton, not far from Centennial Parkway. Although relatively anonymous only two weeks ago, her name and likeness have spread far and wide online after the Nov. 1 assault at the Mandarin restaurant at the Centre on Barton.

The 48-year-old confirms she’s nervous about going outside and running into people. She says she’s received threats and feels the looks.

“Like, ‘They should do the same to her, the poppy killer,’ right? ‘Put her in jail, break her back.’”

Since the violent incident, the fallout has been grave. Quintanilla says she’s losing her apartment and job.

Moreover, the incident has turned into a national flashpoint, garnering widespread attention across social media, in the press and from elected officials, including from the likes of Doug Ford and Pierre Poilievre.

Capt. Kenneth Kunkel needed emergency spinal surgery after being assaulted while protecting