‘I don’t want to endanger the public’: Calgary mayor fears harassment in wake of Freeland incident

Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek said she is afraid of increased violence and harassment after a group of individuals verbally harassed Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland in Grande Prairie, Alta., last week.

In a viral social media video posted on Friday, a group of individuals looking to forcefully inform Freeland of their opinions of her work and the federal government found themselves in the lobby of city hall at the same time as her.

A man and his colleagues then rapidly advanced to the deputy prime minister, pursuing her toward an elevator before being escorted out by security.

In a series of tweets on Sunday, Gondek said she had to sit with her thoughts for days after she saw the video because the incident brought up too much pain and fear.

She recounted her own experiences with verbal harassment on the Shaye Ganam show on 770 CHQR on Tuesday morning, saying a man called her and told her he knew where she lived and then confronted her during a public debate in the 2017 civic election.

She also said that she often takes safety matters into her own hands as mayor.

“There’s a reason I (don’t post where I am), because I don’t want my showing up to something putting the public in danger. I don’t want anyone to see someone go after me in that way,” Gondek said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "There's a reason I (don't post where I am), because I don't want my showing up to something putting the public in danger. I don't want anyone to see someone go after me in that way," Gondek said.

Gondek also said she often compartmentalizes her emotions, in order to do her job on city council and as mayor.

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“I think for me to be able to do my job with my colleagues on council, we need to keep compartmentalizing things and keep going because we can’t publicly share everything we go through. It’s just too much,” she said.

“I don’t want to have security with me all of the time. I’d like it to be just me when I go out to do the plain old things I have to do. And I hope it can stay that way.”

“I have shared enough and I’ve given people a glimpse into what it’s like… I hope people take other journalists seriously. I hope they take other elected officials seriously.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I have shared enough and I've given people a glimpse into what it's like… I hope people take other journalists seriously. I hope they take other elected officials seriously."

Gondek urged federal officials and prosecutors to amend the Criminal Code to condemn verbal and online harassment, saying change needs to happen quickly.

She also asked people to call out verbal abuse and harassment when it happens in public, saying being silent only empowers people to be even more abusive and brash.

“We are fearful of speaking out and we do not talk about how fearful we are. That just allows those folks to perpetuate that fear and that’s the thing that’s got to stop,” Gondek said.

Gondek and Freeland are scheduled to meet on Tuesday according to a public itinerary posted on the deputy prime minister’s website.

–With files from Adam Toy, Global News.