Image of N.S. officers at ‘freedom fighters’ event shared without context: RCMP

Karla Renić - Yesterday 


An image of a Nova Scotia RCMP officer wearing a "thin blue line" patch while responding to a self-proclaimed "Freedom Fighters" event this weekend circulated on social media.


RCMP officers appeared in a photo at a self-proclaimed "Freedom Fighters" event.

© Twitter @Seebo429

It was posted by Twitter user @Seebo429 on Saturday night, among others on social media, with the caption reading: "RCMP checking out the convoy cookout in the valley. What's that patch on the officer's chest? I don't want to get my colours mixed up again." The post received nearly 400 likes and over 100 retweets.

RCMP responded to the tweet on Sunday, saying, "The photo and information has been sent to the appropriate unit for follow up as necessary."

In a Monday news release, RCMP said the image was shared "without the accurate context."
In the release, RCMP said police were called for a noise complaint in Nictaux, located southeast of Middleton in Annapolis County, at around 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

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The complaint was made against a home where about 50 self-proclaimed "Freedom Fighters" gathered, according to police, "with a clear indication of alcohol being consumed."

Police say there was a poster displayed at the end of the driveway of the home, stating “Freedom Fighter PTSD Drive."

Police said in the release that two officers arrived to the house and a large group of men told them they were not welcome there.

"One of the RCMP officers spoke with a man who identified himself as the president of the Freedom Fighters to explain the noise by-law in Annapolis County," read the release.

"Meanwhile, the second officer was working to maintain calm among the group of event attendees that had approached the officers."

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Police said the music was turned down to address the noise complaint.

"When the RCMP officers went to leave, one man stated that police didn’t pay the $5 entry fee which was quickly seconded by another and followed by individuals who were surrounding the officers. To keep the situation diffused and avoid the potential for violence, the entry fee was paid with the RCMP officer’s personal funds," the RCMP said Monday.

"The RCMP is not affiliated with the 'Freedom Fighters' group."

The release also said the group of men requested a photo with the police officers, and "in an effort to mitigate an escalation of the situation," the officers agreed to the photo. That's the photo circulating online.

RCMP said the officer wearing the thin blue line patch has since removed it from his uniform, and "this has been addressed by his supervisor."

The thin blue line symbol depicts a blue line across a black and grey Maple Leaf. While some consider the image a sign of police solidarity, it has also been criticized as a symbol of white supremacy.

Freedom Fighters Nova Scotia Chapter is part of a larger national group composed of veterans and civilians who say they defend Canadians' ``freedoms.'' They did not immediately return a request for comment.

In the release, RCMP also said "we would like to extend our appreciation to the man who identified as the president and quickly addressed the noise complaints."

-- With files from Alessia Simona Maratta and The Canadian Press.

RCMP say they paid Freedom Fighters group and took photo to 'avoid violence'

Tyler Dawson -  National Post

Police in Nova Scotia say they paid $5 to so-called Freedom Fighters and took a group photo in order to “ avoid the potential for violence” as they enforced a noise bylaw.

On Saturday night, Annapolis District RCMP officers responded to a noise complaint at a property near Nictaux, a community about 150 kilometres northwest of Halifax.

When they arrived, officers discovered that they had stumbled upon a “Freedom Fighter PTSD Drive,” according to a poster displayed at the end of the driveway.

There were more than 50 people in attendance, the RCMP said, and there was a “clear indication of alcohol being consumed.”

“A large group of men approached the two RCMP officers and stated that police were not welcome in the area,” an RCMP press release said.

One officer, the release says, spoke to the president of the group, while the other attempted to keep the rest of the men calm. The president provided his phone number in case of future noise complaints.

As the officers went to leave, one of the men noted that they had not paid the $5 entry fee. The men surrounding the officers agreed.

“To keep the situation diffused and avoid the potential for violence, the entry fee was paid with the RCMP officer’s personal funds,” the release says. “The RCMP is not affiliated with the ‘Freedom Fighters’ group.”

The officers also took a photo with the men, which, according to the release, was done at the request of the men in a further attempt to keep the peace.

“ The photo is circulating online without the accurate context of the situation,” the release says.

The photo shows one officer wearing a “thin blue line” patch, which is contrary to RCMP policy. The release says it has been removed.

Two further noise complaints were received that night, although the president of the group dealt with it quickly.

“We would like to extend our appreciation to the man who identified as the president and quickly addressed the noise complaints,” the release says.