Gatineau police are defending the actions of several officers during a traffic stop with cyclists after video shows officers physically restraining a man on a busy street.
Witness video obtained by TVA Gatineau shows officers attempting to tackle one of the bicyclists to the ground.
The incident happened around 3:30 p.m. on Thursday on Graeber Boulevard.
Police said two officers stopped four cyclists for traffic violations and asked the two men and two women for identification.
“Immediately the four cyclists became excited and lured the policemen. They declined to identify themselves,” Gatineau Police Officer Andre East said in a statement to CTV News Ottawa.
“A request was made for the assistance of police officers to gain the support of their colleagues to continue the intervention and as other officers arrived on the scene, tempers continued to flare. Some of them showed signs of flight and aggression, and at one point one of the men pushed one of the two officers, leading to physical intervention by officers.”
Two men and one woman were arrested. Police say charges of obstructing and assaulting a police officer will be referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The four cyclists, aged between 19 and 22, were fined for not complying with the traffic rules and driving on the pavement.
The four cyclists stopped by police denied Gatineau police’s claims, telling TVA Gatineau they gave their names to police from the start, but one of the officers still refused to let them go.
“The SPVG reminds everyone that it is important for everyone’s safety to follow the Road Safety Code, for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians, and that the law requires a person who has committed an offense under the Quebec Road Safety Code to identify themselves , to police on demand,” East said.
Add Comment