The Fredericton Police Force is currently investigating a physical altercation that occurred at the Take Back the Night event on Friday, prompting the response of three police cars to a downtown call. As of Monday evening, no charges had been filed in relation to the incident.
Organizers of the event expressed concern over the actions of a group of young men on motorized scooters who reportedly aggressively interacted with marchers by yelling and riding into the crowd, invading personal space. Jenn Gorham, director of operations at Sexual Violence New Brunswick, highlighted that such behavior was unprecedented in the 40-year history of the event in Fredericton. She noted that while negative comments from passersby were not uncommon, the recent incident went beyond that.
The disturbance escalated outside O’Hickey’s Irish Pub on Queen Street, where several men from the bar engaged aggressively with the march participants. One individual intervened when a man approached the leader of the march too closely, resulting in a physical altercation. Police swiftly responded to the scene.
Video footage shared by Sexual Violence New Brunswick captured moments of conflict, including an organizer requesting someone to move out of the way as participants passed the bar. The video depicted a man reaching towards the organizer with a megaphone and another individual forcefully falling out of frame, sparking surprise and anger among onlookers.
Police spokesperson Sonya Gilks confirmed that the investigation into the altercation involving multiple individuals on Queen Street was ongoing. The police emphasized the right to peaceful protest while ensuring that any violent or unlawful behavior would be addressed within the confines of the law.
Antoinette Del Vasto, co-chair of Fredericton Pride and a participant in the walk, expressed concern over the display of anger towards an event focused on combating sexual violence. Del Vasto attributed the heightened tensions to divisive rhetoric, both locally and influenced by prominent figures like U.S. President Donald Trump, warning about the potential escalation of violence.
Notably, Fredericton North MLA Luke Randall condemned the incident, emphasizing the need for solidarity and denouncing violence against marginalized groups. He urged the community to address the underlying issues contributing to such behaviors.
While Mayor Kate Rogers acknowledged the incident as discouraging and upsetting, she refrained from further comment due to the ongoing police investigation.
