‘Officers were deeply concerned with the number of children who were positioned on the roadway by parents participating in the march’
Several people were ticketed during a protest that police say was ‘non-permitted’, marching in the Beltline.
Around 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, police say approximately 115 protesters gathered at Tomkins Park for a non-permitted event.
Both police and bylaw officers were on scene to “advise” the group of Calgary bylaws, which included the use of an amplification device which “caused disruption to the community”.
At about 3:30 p.m., the group marched westbound on 17 Avenue S.W. to 14 Street S.W.
“The group spilled out onto the roadway, ignoring orders from police to return to the sidewalk,” read an X (formerly Twitter) post from CPS on Sunday.
In addition to amplification devices and non-permitted gatherings in a park, police said, “Officers were deeply concerned with the number of children who were positioned on the roadway by parents participating in the march, at the back of the group where they were vulnerable to motor vehicles.”
Police say that despite efforts by officers, “including the use of bikes to fence off the road and numerous requests by loud hailer”, the group refused to cooperate.
Returning on eastbound 17 Avenue S.W., the group travelled past Tomkins Park to approximately 4 Street S.W., before returning to the park around 4:30 p.m, said police.
“The unsanctioned march impacted traffic in the area throughout Sunday afternoon,” they said.
Police say 12 tickets were issued Sunday “with more enforcement expected to occur in the days and weeks that follow”. Three arrests were made; two for obstruction and one for both obstruction and assaulting a police officer.
Participating in a parade without a permit can result in fines as much as $3,000.
More to come…