Thieves dressed as Robin Hood raided a food store in Montreal on the night of February 3 and handed out the stolen food to protest rising prices. An activist group calling itself the “Robins des Ruelles” said about 60 people, some wearing Robin Hood–style hats, entered a health food store, took food without paying, and gave it to “many community fridges in the city” in what it called a “political act” against rising food prices in Canada.
The theft followed a similar incident in December 2025, when the same group entered a Montreal grocery store dressed as Santa Claus and his elves, stealing food and leaving some of it wrapped under a nearby Christmas tree.
The legend of Robin Hood, the English forest-dwelling outlaw who stole from the rich and gave to the poor, is one of the most popular tales in history. From ballads dating back to the 14th century, to plays, novels, and films that have sustained popularity up through the 21st century, the skilled and principled hero of the people is familiar to all. But what do we really know about the origins of the legendary Robin Hood, and how many of these valiant tales of adventure and intrigue are based on historical fact?
Read on to learn everything you need to know about Robin Hood.