OTTAWA
Gatineau police issue fines, arrest two during confrontation over private gathering on New Year's Eve
Published Saturday, January 2, 2021 1:28PM EST Last Updated Saturday, January 2, 2021 6:18PM EST
A screen capture of a video posted to social media showing a confrontation between Gatineau police officers and residents after police responded to a complaint about an alleged illegal gathering at a home on New Year's Eve. (Image: @Nusakan007 / Twitter)
Fines were issued to those in attendance, each for $1,546. ($9276 fines total for having dinner with your family on New Year's Eve.)
GATINEAU, QC. – Gatineau police say two people were arrested New Year's Eve and fines have been handed out after a confrontation that started over a gathering in a private home.
Police were called to a home on rue Le Baron at around 11:30 p.m. Thursday after they received a complaint. There, they found six adults inside.
Indoor and outdoor private gatherings are currently prohibited in Gatineau under Quebec's COVID-19 response.
A video posted to social media Friday evening shows a dispute between officers and people inside the home, during which one person is arrested and taken to the ground.
(Warning: Strong language)
Il faut que ça devienne viral. RT en masse les amis. La lumière doit être fait sur cet événement. pic.twitter.com/nnxsGcQcOn
— Nusakan le récalcitrant (@Nusakan007) January 1, 2021
The video appears to show the height of the confrontation.
"At some point, they had no judgement at all. You can't treat people like this," said Mathieu Tessier, who appears in the video.
Tessier tells CTV News Ottawa he got involved after an officer allegedly pulled his mother's arm.
"The truth is…they aggressed us."
In a pair of tweets Saturday, Gatineau police (SPVG) said the video, which had more than 133,000 views on Twitter as of Saturday afternoon, is only part of the story and alleged that one of the people involved assaulted an officer.
"The video shows only an excerpt from the intervention," the SPVG said in French. "The individuals were recalcitrant and refused to cooperate. The individual arrested in the video had assaulted a police officer, hitting him in the face a few times."
1/2 - Intervention du 31 déc : La vidéo ne montre qu’un extrait de l’intervention. Les individus étaient récalcitrants et ont refusé de collaborer. L’individu arrêté sur la vidéo avait commis un voie de fait sur un policier, le frappant au visage à quelques reprises. #Gatineau
— PoliceGatineau (@PoliceGatineau) January 2, 2021
2/2 - (suite) : Infraction = obligation de s'identifier. Une 2e personne a aussi été arrêtée et 6 constats émis (Loi sur la santé publique). Nous sollicitons votre collaboration pour continuer de respecter les mesures sanitaires et collaborer lors de toute intervention policière. https://t.co/O6IIL1OYCc
— PoliceGatineau (@PoliceGatineau) January 2, 2021
An SPVG spokesperson told CTV News that the individual seen in the video was charged with assault and obstructing an officer. The owner of the home was also arrested and charged with refusing to provide personal information.
Both were later released at the scene.
Fines were issued to those in attendance, each for $1,546. ($9276 fines total for having dinner with your family on New Year's Eve.)
No one was hurt.
"We ask for your collaboration to continue to respect health measures and collaborate during any police intervention," the SPVG said.
Tessier had posted the video on his Facebook page, but removed the video on Saturday.
https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/gatineau-police-issue-fines-arrest-two-during-confrontation-over-private-gathering-on-new-year-s-eve-1.5251296