An Innisfil man has been arrested and charged with assaulting police in Peterborough over the weekend.
At approximately 1 p.m., Saturday, police say a group of protesters were at the Peterborough Police Station where they remained outside for several hours when an incident involving a protester and a counter-protester occurred.
At approximately 2:15 p.m., officers on general patrol were waved down by the alleged victim. Officers learned that the man's sign was ripped and he was verbally threatened in one incident and had his mask ripped off by another person while in front of the police station.
At approximately 4 p.m., officers arriving for their shift were then blocked by protesters, who also tried to gain access to a secured entrance at the station, according to police. Police attempted to take a protester into custody when officers were surrounded. Police say a protester then struck two officers. In all, there were about 30 protesters at the time of the incident.
Following the investigation, a 54-year-old Millbrook man was arrested and charged with mischief and resisting arrest.
A 55-year-old Innisfil man was also arrested and charged with two counts of assaulting police.
Both of the accused were held in custody and were scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 14. Their names have not been released.
Peterborough police said on Monday that a third person had also been charged in connection to the incident.
On Sunday, Aug. 14, officers arrested a 31-year-old Peterborough man following the incident at the rear door of the police station, which included allegedly kicking the door to the station and striking an officer. Police say the suspect then repeatedly kicked at the door and further encouraged others to participate. The suspect then allegedly went to another area and began yelling and banging on the windows of several police vehicles with officers in them.
The 31-year-old Peterborough man has been charged with assaulting a peace officer with a weapon, two counts of counselling an indictable offence which is not committed, mischief (obstruct, interrupts or interferes with the lawful use, enjoyment or operation of property), and obstructing a peace officer. The accused was held in custody and appeared in court on Aug. 15.
The investigation is ongoing and police are looking for two other suspects. One of the suspects is described as being white woman with short hair, standing five-foot-three, approximately 65 years old, and wearing a light blue plaid blouse and sunglasses. The other suspect is a man between 50 to 60 years old, wearing a black leather vest with chains hanging from the pocket, blue jeans, and a black head scarf. He stands about five-foot-seven and has a white moustache and goatee.
In a video shared to YouTube, Acting Police Chief Tim Farquharson said the Special Investigations Unit is looking into the arrest of a protester during the incident.
"The Peterborough Police Service is co-operating fully with their investigation," he said, adding any questions regarding the SIU investigation will have to be directed to that agency.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Peterborough Police Crime Line at 705-876-1122, ext. 555, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.stopcrimehere.ca.
