Canada: Peel Police exonerates officer seen in Brampton Mandir altercation video

The Peel Police in Canada clarified on Thursday that an officer involved in an altercation with protesters during an alleged Khalistani attack at Brampton’s Mandir acted within his duties.

The police said the officer was not at fault, saying he “acted within the lawful execution of his duties”. However, videos circulating on social media appeared to show the officer throwing punches at a protester, raising concerns about the use of force by the police.

A group of protesters supporting Khalistan disrupted a consular event at Brampton’s Hindu Mandir earlier this month, where Indian officials were present. The pro-Khalistani protesters allegedly assaulted people with sticks outside the temple. The incident was condemned by both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau.

The Peel Police shared bodycam footage of the officer involved in the altercation outside the temple, saying that an investigation revealed the officer was attempting to disarm an individual who had refused to surrender their weapon and became confrontational.

“During the protest, it became apparent that tensions were escalating, and public safety became a concern. For the safety of everyone present, a determination was made to seize any items that could be used as a weapon,” the Peel Regional Police said in a news release.

In the two-minute video, the police detailed the investigation results and explained the context for the video circulated on social media.

“What the video doesn’t show is the officer identifying a protester for the purposes of seizing a weapon that he’s holding. The protester then retreats into the crowd and he, along with others, begin to physically resist the officer. The officer’s body-worn camera, which captured the interaction, was reviewed,” constable Tyler Bell-Morena said.

“Peel Regional Police understands that the video caused concern in the community. We take all complaints about officer conduct seriously and have conducted a review of the incident,” the service said in a release.