Police Investigate Altercation at Fredericton's Take Back the Night Event
The Fredericton Police Force is investigating a reported physical altercation that occurred at Friday's Take Back the Night event. The incident prompted a response from three police cars to a downtown location. As of Monday evening, no charges have been laid.
Harassment and Aggressive Behavior During the March
Organizers of the annual Take Back the Night walk, which advocates for an end to sexual and gender-related violence, reported that their event was disrupted by several young men. The actions of these individuals have led some to question whether political tensions from the United States are influencing events in New Brunswick.
Jenn Gorham, Director of Operations at Sexual Violence New Brunswick, stated that a group of five to seven young men on motorized scooters followed participants throughout the night. According to Gorham, "[They] were really violently, aggressively interacting with our marchers, things they were yelling, they were riding into the crowd alongside the person leading the march — really getting up into her face and her personal space."
Incident Outside O'Hickey's Irish Pub
Gorham noted that this level of harassment was unprecedented in the 40 years that the Take Back the Night event has been held in Fredericton, although marchers often receive some negative comments. A specific incident outside O'Hickey's Irish Pub on Queen Street required police intervention. Gorham described an encounter with several men who emerged from the bar and began interacting aggressively with the marchers.
Gorham elaborated that "One of our participants had kind of stepped [up to] the person leading the march to intervene because one of the men got very, very alarmingly scary close to her. And so he stepped between them and the man pulled back and pushed him." She confirmed that the police arrived "very, very quickly."
Video Evidence and Reactions
A video shared by Sexual Violence New Brunswick shows an organizer with a megaphone asking someone to "get out of my way" as participants passed the bar. The video then shows the woman with the megaphone and a man reaching towards it. Shortly thereafter, someone wearing an orange reflective vest is seen falling forcefully out of the frame. While participants are shown reacting with surprise and anger, the video does not capture the events directly leading up to the fall.
Community Concerns and Potential Political Influence
Antoinette Del Vasto, co-chair of Fredericton Pride, expressed concern over the community's response to the annual event, which aims to highlight the reasons why many individuals do not feel safe walking alone after dark. Del Vasto stated, "When people are like, 'Smile, a smile is contagious,' unfortunately, hatred is also very contagious. And that's just not something that I ever thought Fredericton would be a part of." She added, "I'm kind of like, oh, maybe I was wrong about Fredericton. I'm, I'm unsure."
Del Vasto also suggested that the rhetoric from U.S. President Donald Trump has contributed to increased anger and division, raising concerns about potential escalation in Canada. Gorham echoed this sentiment, believing that people have become more "emboldened" due to growing political polarization in the United States.
Official Statements and Ongoing Investigation
Police spokesperson Sonya Gilks confirmed that the matter remains under active investigation. According to Gilks, "At approximately 9 p.m. [Friday], members of the Fredericton Police Force responded to a report of a physical altercation in progress on Queen Street involving multiple individuals."
Gilks added, "The Fredericton Police Force recognizes and respects the right of individuals to gather and engage in peaceful protest. However, any incidents of violence or unlawful behaviour will be addressed in accordance with the law."
Luke Randall, the Liberal MLA for Fredericton North, described the events as something that "should shake every one of us," adding, "Violence directed against women, immigrants, 2SLGBTQ+ community members, or against men who step forward as allies is not only reprehensible, it is a symptom of a deeper illness." Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers called the incident "discouraging and upsetting" but declined further comment due to the ongoing investigation.
