An “aggressive” crowd prompted the early closure of the Canadian National Exhibition for the second straight year during a Youth Day event, leading to two arrests and the use of pepper spray by police on a 16-year-old girl.
Toronto police Const. Victor Kwong said officers initially responded to a call for gunshots during a melee involving dozens of people at the CNE grounds Thursday evening.
Police didn’t locate a gun, but a 17-year-old suspect who Kwong said ran from officers was arrested and charged with drug possession.
READ MORE: Large crowd forces early CNE closure on Youth Day
While police were arresting the suspect, Kwong said the crowd become angry and circled the officers. Police then took the suspect behind a vendor area, but Kwong said the crowd followed and continued to act aggressively towards officers.
“The crowd had a very different dynamic last night,” CNE general manager Virginia Ludy said.
“Last night’s crowd had a little bit different behaviour and that is concerning to us. That will factor into the decision for us whether or not this day continues.”
Kwong said one of the crowd members, a 16-year-old girl, then allegedly pushed a barricade, attempted to punch an officer several times and resisted arrest by acting “aggressive” and “attempted to escape into the crowd by kicking the officers.”
WATCH: Police pepper spray 16-year-old girl during CNE Youth Day violence
She was given medical assistance, charged with obstructing a police officer, two counts of assaulting a police officer and is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 12.
“It was a large group of youth gathering together. Then they would start jostling and then they would start running,” Ludy said.
“And that just creates an unsafe environment for us on the midway so that was the reason why we had to shut down early.”
The CNE said it experienced one of its busiest nights due to the popularity of Youth Day, when the price of admission was reduced to $6 per person after 5 p.m.
Organizers said in a statement released late Tuesday night that the early closure was a “proactive measure” to ensure the safety of guests and curtail overcrowding after the “unruly conduct” caused by “the behaviour of a few unruly individuals.”
READ MORE: Man charged with using camera hidden inside toy owl to look up women’s skirts at CNE
Lundy said extra security measures had been put in place in anticipation of the larger crowds.
“Because of the large crowds that had come out the year before, we increased the presence of security and police on the site,” she said.
“There were a couple of folks in a large crowd who took it upon themselves to act inappropriately with the police and they are now suffering the consequences.”
Police said there was no risk to public safety, but officers on horseback and others were deployed to the lakefront facility to disperse the large crowds.
Const. Craig Brister said there were a number of fights inside the grounds but no injuries were reported.
Mayor John Tory told reporters on Wednesday he applauds the CNE’s review of Youth Day and looks forward to hearing their recommendations.
WATCH: CNE downplays security concerns after Youth Day violence
“Fortunately it didn’t evolve into anything really serious but it had the potential to,” he said.
The CNE gates close usually at 10 p.m., but rides and other attractions continue to operate until midnight for those already inside.
The CNE is Canada’s largest fair and has been staged at Toronto’s Exhibition Place for 138 years.
With files from The Canadian Press
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