One man was arrested at Victoria’s Remembrance Day ceremony after he interrupted the service, shouting obscenities before fighting police officers on scene, according to VicPD.
On Friday, Nov. 11 just after 11 a.m., a man was captured on video emerging from the crowd surrounding the B.C. Legislature’s cenotaph, where he began to pace back and forth and angrily address those in attendance.
“If you can show up for this, you can show up and shut down your government…” the man was heard yelling during a livestreaming of the service, which aired on CHEK.
The protester went on to mention the war in Ukraine and asked people to stand up for Africa while also demanding Canada pull out of NATO.
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Officers, ensuring that today's @BCLegislature Remembrance Day ceremony was safe & peaceful, arrested a man who interrupted the service. He began to fight officers escorting him out of the ceremony area. He was transported to cells. #yyj https://t.co/9Ob6JU7z8j https://t.co/MCETYpVYdn
— Victoria Police (@vicpdcanada) November 11, 2022
Two officers escorted the man out of the ceremonial area before he “began to fight with officers and was arrested,” VicPD said in a subsequent news release, adding in a tweet, “Not shown on the video is the assault when he…fought with and spat on the officers.”
The man was then transported to VicPD cells and now faces recommended charges of assaulting a police officer and mischief, police said.
Del Manak, Victoria Police chief, also took to Twitter calling the protester’s actions “extremely disrespectful.”
The incident remains under investigation, and investigators are asking those with video footage who have not yet spoken with officers to call VicPD’s report desk at 250-995-7654 extension 1.
Criminal Code of Canada 175 (1) – Cause a Disturbance. Not shown on the video is the assault when he he fought with and spat on the officers. pic.twitter.com/bPNTtioTSu
— Victoria Police (@vicpdcanada) November 11, 2022
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