Peterborough police say nearly two dozen tickets have now been issued in connection with an unsanctioned parade in the city’s downtown on Saturday.
Organizers of the procession down George Street on Saturday evening, promoted as the “Miracle on George St. Christmas Parade,” did not apply or receive permits from the City of Peterborough.
George Street was therefore not officially closed Saturday night for the procession which began at 5 p.m.
Immediately following the event, Peterborough Police Service officers issued just over a dozen tickets for Highway Traffic Act offences.
On Thursday morning, police said nearly a dozen more tickets have additionally been issued.
Police say that to date, 10 people have been charged, with a total of 23 tickets issued under the Highway Traffic Act for various offences such as careless driving, unnecessary slow driving, failure to stop at a red traffic light, and failure to stop for an emergency vehicle.
“The Peterborough Police would again like to remind the public that unsanctioned events such as this have a high probability for personal injury and property damage, and police participation is not an endorsement, but a commitment to public safety,” police said Thursday.
The Kinsmen Club of Peterborough hosts an annual Santa Claus parade on George Street. However, for the second year in a row, organizers cancelled the event due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.