Peterborough County council says it is united in condemning the actions of protesters who accosted federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh in Peterborough, Ont., last week.
Opening their council meeting on Wednesday morning, County Warden J. Murray Jones issued a statement saying council condemns the “attacks” by those involved with “threatening and defaming” Singh on May 10.
The incidents — caught on video and shared widely on social media — involved a small group of people who yelled profanities and gave Singh middle fingers as he entered and exited the campaign office for Peterborough—Kawartha NDP provincial candidate Jen Deck.
“The actions of those perpetrators was disgusting and they certainly don’t represent the majority of people in our community who are inclusive and kind,” said Jones. “This type of behaviour has to stop, we are seeing it far too often, on social media, in person, towards politicians and against one another here in the greater Peterborough area, throughout Ontario and Canada and around the world.”
Peterborough police said they were unaware of Singh’s visit. On Tuesday, police said there were no grounds to lay criminal charges in the incident, which Singh described as one “most intense, threatening, insulting” experiences in his political career. Among the yells he said he heard was “I hope you die.”
The RCMP is also investigating the incident.
On Tuesday morning, Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien called on all political leaders to condemn the behaviour. County council echoed her sentiment.
“Practising tolerance and acceptance and respect for one another,” said Jones. “We have so much to be grateful for. As warden for the County of Peterborough, I’d like to demonstrate total support for Mayor Therrien’s disgust at the actions of a few during the recent visit of NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. These words and actions in no way represent the good people of the Peterborough region.”
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