RCMP say protester facing $2,300 fine after confrontation with students outside Oliver high school

A anti-mandate protestor who confronted students outside an Oliver high school last week will face a $2,300 fine, according to the RCMP.

Video of the incident outside Southern Okanagan Secondary School on Friday afternoon showed an adult woman in an altercation with students gathered in the area.

In an emailed statement, the RCMP said the video showed the woman “yelling profanities with racist undertones.”

“The actions of these protesters are unacceptable,” the RCMP said. “The safety of children at school is very important and a place of learning appears to have been violated.”

Police said an officer had been at the scene earlier in the day, and had “observed a small group of anti-mask protesters near the school but off of school property.”

“There was no indication of unruly behaviour and the officers working were required to attend to other calls for service,” police said.

The RCMP became aware of the video incident on Saturday.

The protester’s actions have drawn criticism from both local and provincial governments.

Oliver’s mayor Martin Johansen said he was appalled and disgusted, both as an elected official and resident, and also as a parent of a student at the high school.

“It was very troubling to watch the video,” he said. “I couldn’t really believe that was something that would go on in this day and age, that it had deteriorated to racist comments and the aggressive hatred that was displayed there.”

Johansen also commended the students involved.

“I was ... really impressed to see the students standing up for themselves, and applaud their tenacity in defending themselves,” he said. “No town needs this. Nobody wants to see this in their community. It’s just totally unacceptable.”

Johansen said there have been regular “rolling convoys” going through town on Saturdays, but said he didn’t think anyone expected something like this would happen.

“The incident, on one level, has provided an opportunity for the school district and the RCMP to start thinking about that,” he said. “It shows everybody that we need to be aware.”

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth also condemned the protester’s actions.

“What we saw in Oliver was an individual engaged in absolutely disgusting, reprehensible, racist, aggressive, abusive, ignorant behaviour to kids,” he said. “Totally unacceptable.”

District superintendent of schools Bev Young said the protest activity started in the afternoon, and the school was aware an RCMP officer had checked in with the protesters and made sure they were off school grounds. She added there was also another protest at a different high school at the same time that day.

At dismissal time, Young said, administrators were making sure buses – which also had elementary school students on board – had unimpeded access to the buildings. She said there were a number of people gathered at the pick-up area for parents.

“There was one individual that started engaging the students,” she said. “While freedom of speech is really an important right in Canada, and so is the right to demonstrate, it just brings a whole new set of complexities when it’s at schools targeting youth.”

Last fall, the province introduced legislation creating a 20-metre bubble zone for protestors around certain facilities, including schools and hospitals. Young said the district has debriefed with the RCMP and discussed what might happen if there are further incidents, in light of the legislation.

“They also can’t be intimidating or disruptive, and we’re going to work with the RCMP to apply that very liberally,” she said. “We’re really appealing to anyone who might think this is a good idea in the future to really avoid schools, because schools need to be neutral places where kids can come and be with their friends and learn and be in safe environments.”

Police said they are in touch with the family of the teen who was targeted, and added the woman in the video has been identified and charges will be coming.