Date: Tuesday, November 30th, 2021

Files: 21-47410, 21-47405

Victoria, BC – Officers are seeking a suspect after a mischief at the B.C. Legislature during a protest on Friday.

Protestors gathered at the B.C. Legislature at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Friday, November 26th, in response to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit to meet with Premier John Horgan and members of the B.C. government regarding ongoing flooding in British Columbia. Officers with the Integrated Public Safety Unit (PSU) attended to help ensure that everyone was safe and that rights to safe, peaceful and lawful protests were respected. Officers worked with members of the public and protest group to keep everyone safe and ensure lawful access to the buildings.

After the end of the meetings and the departure of the Prime Minister and the Premier, PSU officers departed. A short time later, VicPD received reports of mischief on site.

A suspect is being sought in relation to a mischief which occurred on Friday evening. This suspect is described as a Caucasian man, standing approximately five feet, ten inches tall, with a light brown goatee-style beard with a braid, curly shoulder-length brown hair and a medium build. He was wearing a zip-up white and grey Cowichan-style sweater, green “army” pants, dark-coloured boots and a multi-coloured knitted toque. Two photographs of this suspect are below.

If you recognize this man, or have information about this incident and have yet to speak with officers, please call the VicPD Report Desk at (250) 995-7654 ext 1. To report what you know anonymously, please call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

In addition to this investigation, officers with the Legislative Assembly Protection Services (LAPS) took a different man into custody for mischief on Friday evening. After that man was arrested, approximately 20 persons attended the Legislature building and began kicking at the doors, demanding that he be released without charge. They then reportedly began to attempt to blockade building exits. VicPD Patrol officers attended to transport the arrested man to VicPD cells. Officers de-escalated the group and transported the man to cells without further incident.

The suspect, an Alberta man, was released with a court date and conditions, including conditions not to attend the B.C. Legislature precinct. He faces recommended charges for mischief.

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