Jennifer Saltman and Becky Rynor, CanWest News Service
Members of a B.C. First Nation band and RCMP held an emergency meeting on Tuesday after an RCMP officer used pepper spray on a “hostile crowd” of celebrating soccer fans that included children and a seven-month-old baby.
“We are just looking at what happened yesterday and to present an overview from our perspective,” said Const. Annie Linteau.
“It is a very uncomfortable, unpredictable situation when you’re faced with a large crowd zeroing in on you and you have your hands full dealing with a combative subject,” she said.
An RCMP officer said he felt threatened when he pepper-sprayed a group of about 50-75 parents and young soccer players from the Sechelt First Nation who made a rowdy entrance into town after two of the Sunshine Coast band’s teams won a soccer tournament Monday night.
RCMP said an officer tried to pull over a black pickup with 10 screaming youths standing in the back.
Police said the driver ran a stop sign and ignored the officer’s lights and sirens.
The vehicle, followed by several other trucks filled with people, headed towards the Sechelt reserve, but the road was blocked by another officer.
Police said the black truck drove up onto the sidewalk and around the police car, then stopped, but they said the driver became hostile.
The driver was arrested for failing to stop for police. A large crowd began to gather so the two officers called for backup.
“The suspect was not handcuffed at the time; then you have a very hostile crowd,” Linteau said.
“This crowd was told numerous times to move away and they didn’t.”
Police said as the man was led to the police cruiser, people began to surround him and the officer feared for his safety so he pulled out his pepper spray.
“Pepper spray is used when dealing with someone who is demonstrating combative behaviour and you as a police officer feel threatened,” Linteau said.
Band members said about 15 adults and children were sent to hospital to be treated for exposure to pepper spray, including a seven-month-old baby. They were released Monday night.
“The child’s mother was the spouse of the person we were trying to arrest,” Linteau said. “She also became very combative and was trying to push at the officers and trying to interfere. It’s unfortunate that she would bring a baby into a situation like that.”
Troy Mayers, 42, of Sechelt appeared in provincial court Tuesday and has been charged with failing to stop and obstruction.
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