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A disturbance involving two people wearing outlaw motorcycle gang colours at Monday’s Remembrance Day ceremony in Sarnia is being condemned by the city’s mayor and police chief.
Two people wearing outlaw motorcycle gang colours lined up to lay a black wreath with gang colours at the cenotaph Monday, Sarnia police said.
Organizers asked the people who were not registered to take part in the wreath-laying ceremony to leave but they refused and police were asked to intervene.
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“These individuals subsequently refused police requests to leave, through the loud use of foul and abusive language, disrupting the solemnity of the Remembrance Day ceremony,” police said.
Two people were arrested and charged.
“It’s very disappointing this occurred on a solemn day like Remembrance Day,” said Sarnia police Chief Derek Davis, who was among a contingent of city police officers who marched in the parade and attended the ceremony.
“We were asked to take an action and the officers responded appropriately.”
The disruption was “regrettable,” said Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley, who was among those laying wreaths Monday.
“Anything that disrupts Remembrance Day is just wrong.”
The disturbance didn’t take away from the observances, the president of Branch 62 of the Royal Canadian Legion said.
“It was a small disturbance in an overall successful day,” Ron Realesmith said. “Those things are disappointing when they occur, but it didn’t take away from the day.”
In a statement posted to its Facebook page, Branch 62 said the Royal Canadian Legion’s national policy states the wearing of outlaw motorcycle club or street gang colours is not permitted at its events and is “disrespectful of the sacrifices made by our veterans.”
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“All motorcycle riders are still welcome at legion branches and events, but the new policy means outlaw motorcycle members would need to remove their colours first,” the statement said.
“I was appreciative to the Sarnia Police Service for handling it swiftly,” Realesmith said.
Sarnia has one of the country’s longest running Remembrance Day services, he said.
“We’ve been doing this for many years” and “we get tremendous crowds,” Realesmith said.
At large community events like Remembrance Day, police bring in additional resources to ensure safety, and in recent years that has included having the police emergency response team available if needed, Davis said.
“We want to be prepared but hope they never have to be used,” he said.
A 64-year-old Sarnia resident is charged with causing a disturbance and breaching a court order and a 46-year-old city resident is charged with causing a disturbance and resisting arrest, police said.
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