Unpermitted shoot for 'amateur action film' triggers large police presence in North Vancouver

FILE: A small film crew is seen an image from Shutterstock.

A group of men who appeared to be wearing body armour and carrying rifles in an underground parking lot in North Vancouver were making "an amateur action film," according to authorities.

Mounties were called to the garage on Marine Drive on Saturday around 5:30 p.m. by a security guard, the North Vancouver RCMP said in a statement.

"Numerous officers attended the parking lot only to discover the guns and body armour were replica items and the group was filming an amateur action film," spokesperson Const. Mansoor Sahak wrote, adding that the group did not have any of the necessary permits and that neighbours had not been notified of their plans to make a movie.

Sahak said the group was not arrested, charged or fined but that they were informed of the rules around filming in public spaces and the dangers of this kind of guerilla production.

"Police take firearms complaints very seriously due to the threat they pose to public and officer safety. We will respond with appropriate resources, tactics, and level of force each time," Sahak continued.

“In this instance, we are glad that no one was seriously injured while responding to the potential threat. However, incidents like these have a negative impact on our ability to respond to other real emergencies that are occurring in the city.”