Halifax Police Association says personal vehicles were damaged after 'celebratory event'
The association representing hundreds of police officers and civilian employees in Halifax says a celebratory Juneteenth event late Saturday afternoon got out of hand.
The Halifax Regional Police Association alleges a number of personal vehicles were damaged, and working officers were delayed in responding to an apparent stabbing incident.
"From what we understand at this point, there may have been an attempt to actually blockade the police station and stop vehicles from coming and going," association president Dean Stienburg told CTV News in an interview in Dartmouth on Tuesday.
"A very serious public safety issue for sure."
Organized by the Facebook group Abolish the Police – Halifax/Kjipuktuk, the event was scheduled to run between 5 and 7 p.m.
It's unclear exactly how many people attended, but in a news release, the association said it was alarmed "citizens were incited to commit multiple criminal offences directed towards police service employees."
"We know there were altercations with members that were coming and going from the station, and we're very concerned about that," Stienburg said, adding he wouldn't be providing details publicly.
Halifax Regional Police were similarly tight lipped in an email to CTV News.
"I can confirm that we are investigating reports of property damage and the investigations are in the early stages and no further details are available at this time," said HRP Public Information Officer Const. John MacLeod.
CTV News reached out to the event organizers, but got no response by news time.
Stienburg is convinced some attendees may have been expecting an entirely different event.
"We have reason to believe there were people in that crowd that were there truly to celebrate, and that were not interested in participating in this kind of behaviour. We're encouraging those people to come forward. We don't feel that protesting in this kind of manner is anything that's at all productive or helpful."
"As a matter of fact, it's hurtful and it's divisive."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
BREAKING McGill University seeks emergency injunction to remove pro-Palestinian encampment from campus
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.