Niagara Regional Police say an officer was assaulted during Canal Days’ Saturday night concert featuring rock band Billy Talent.
The incident happened after HH Knoll Park in Port Colborne had reached its capacity of 10,000 people, however anywhere between 18,000 and 25,000 concert-goers showed up.
Police say some in the crowd pushed their way through the fence, while multiple people were taken into custody but later released. Alcohol sales were also halted after the crowd pushed through gates.
A statement from the City of Port Colborne’s official Canal Day account says 15 concert-goers were treated for minor injuries. The start of the show was delayed after originally expecting to start at 9:30pm, with officials consulting with Billy Talent before deciding the concert would continue if it remained safe to do so. The band would go on to play a complete set for fans.
Niagara Regional Police Service says in any situation, officers use discretion to manage the issue as it presents, while taking care not to escalate the situation to maintain public and officer safety.
In a statement, the City of Port Colborne says they take safety of residents and visitors very seriously. The rest of Canal Days on Sunday and Monday continued, with no reported incidents. City officials will meet with officials from Niagara Regional Police on Tuesday evening to discuss how an incident like this can be avoided in the future.
(Written by: Matt Latour)
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