Angry crowd calling for mayor's resignation abruptly ends Surrey council meeting

SURREY, B.C. -

Tensions at Surrey City Hall have reached a boiling point, after an angry crowd forced the abrupt end of a council meeting.

Several councillors and residents are calling for the mayor’s resignation as his criminal public mischief case makes its way through the court system.

It was an extremely tense and volatile situation Monday night.

Video on social media shows dozens of people in the crowd standing up and yelling in council chambers.

“People in Surrey are fed up, and the mayor is completely tone deaf when it comes to the community and how people are feeling,” wrote Coun. Linda Annis in a news release Monday night.

The meeting was abruptly adjourned after just seven minutes with staff citing safety concerns.

It all began after Couns. Brenda Locke and Jack Hundial read motions demanding Mayor Doug McCallum step down until his criminal trial is over.

Locke is running against McCallum for the mayor’s seat in the upcoming October election.

“The mood was anger and frustration and just really despair for this city. People are tired of this mayor and his behaviour,” said Locke.

Agitated members of the crowd echoed the councillors' sentiments with shouting and chanting.

“There's just a combination of disappointment and people were angered that he continues to ignore the public,” said Hundial.

“You know I didn’t really fear for my safety, you know things can get a little out of hand at times in council, very rambunctious. But you know my recollection of it was that the public wanted some answers."

McCallum is facing a charge of public mischief.

He’s accused of lying to police about a confrontation with a member of the Keep the RCMP in Surrey campaign last September where he claimed a woman drove over his foot. None of the allegations against him have been proven in court.

As a result, he’s also facing an ethics complaint for staying on as chair of the Surrey Police Service.

"I think that people have just had enough,” said Locke.

CTV News has reached out to McCallum’s office for comment and a spokesperson said the mayor will not be commenting.