Date: Monday, September 13, 2021

File: 21-37072

Victoria, BC – A man was arrested for assault during a protest at the BC Legislature today as officers responded to multiple locations to ensure protest gatherings remained safe, peaceful and lawful and that patients and staff had unimpeded access to Royal Jubilee Hospital and medical facilities.

Officers and staff, including members of Greater Victoria’s Public Safety Unit (PSU) – comprised of officers from Greater Victoria’s municipal police departments – as well as VicPD’s Community Services Division (CSD) Beat, Bike and VicPD Traffic sections, Patrol, Operational Planning and Community Engagement Division sections all worked to respond to the protests.

While protests at hospitals and other health care facilities took place in various cities across Canada, today’s protests in Victoria remained focused at the BC Legislature, Centennial Square and some local media outlets. In addition to attending the protests at the BC Legislature, officers provided routine patrols to Royal Jubilee Hospital and health care facilities.

One man was arrested during the protest at the BC Legislature after a person was assaulted by being doused with a hot liquid. Officers intervened and arrested the man. Some members of the crowd followed officers, the arrested man and the victim as officers moved the parties away from the area to gather additional information for the investigation. Additional officers responded to protect those involved in the incident and to allow the investigating officers to do their work. The victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries, but declined medical treatment. The man was transported to cells. No charges have yet been sworn in this incident, which remains under investigation.

If you have information about the incident, but have not spoken with officers, please call the VicPD Report Desk at (250) 9945-7654 extension 1. You can report what you know anonymously by calling Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

 

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