Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is investigating two incidents involving police during the operation to clear out the protest in Ottawa.
The SIU said in a release Sunday that it was investigating the reported serious injury of a woman in an interaction with a police horse and the discharges of “less-lethal firearms.”
The first incident involves a 49-year-old woman who was injured as officers with Toronto’s police service moved through the crowd near the Chateau Laurier Friday afternoon.
“At approximately 5:14 p.m. there was an interaction between a Toronto Police Service officer on a horse and a 49-year-old woman on Rideau Street and Mackenzie Avenue,” the SIU said. “The woman has a reported serious injury.”
The second incident involves officers from Vancouver who fired “less-lethal firearms” at individuals near the Sparks Street Mall.
“At approximately 7:18 p.m. Vancouver Police Department officers discharged Anti-Riot Weapon Enfields (less-lethal firearms) at individuals in the area of Sparks Street and Bank Street,” the SIU said.
Six investigators and two forensic investigators have been assigned to these cases. The SIU is asking anyone who may have been struck by a projectile to contact them.
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of police officers that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault, or the discharge of a firearm at a person.
