MONTREAL -- Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew was attacked in a botched attempt to steal his cellphone, according to the French-language all-news channel LCN.
Pettigrew was attacked Wednesday night as he entered a subway station in Montreal's west end while talking on his phone.
He was not accompanied by his bodyguard at the time.
A 19-year-old man intervened to help Pettigrew, who suffered minor injuries to his nose and mouth, LCN said.
The phone was returned to him. Pettigrew's office told the network that the minister was not targeted.
Frederick Estelle, 24, was arrested and charged.