Ontario Provincial Police are investigating an altercation involving North Huron Deputy Reeve Kevin Falconer following a council meeting on Tuesday, February 17.
Police confirmed to CKNXNewsToday.ca that the incident is under investigation.
A video posted to Facebook shows a heated exchange outside council chambers between Falconer and members of the public, including Stephen Hill and Brent Mills. Hill recorded the video, which which can be seen here (warning: the video contains foul language), while walking alongside Falconer after the council meeting.
In a written statement, Hill claimed Falconer "became visibly aggressive and advanced toward me" after being questioned about comments made to another member of the public.
Mills then appears in the video, stepping between Hill and Falconer.
"I stepped between the two of them," Mills told CKNXNewsToday.ca. "The first thing I noticed was Falconer came running at me, grabbed at my crotch and hung on."
"All I did was I rolled him off...I didn’t want to fight," he added.
The video then shows Falconer going to the ground during the altercation. He later left the scene in an ambulance.
Mills claims he did not intend to escalate the situation.
"He could have walked away...all he had to do was go 20 feet, get in his car and go home," Mills said.
CKNXNewsToday.ca reached out to Falconer for comment on the incident, who suggested that we "reach out to the municipality of North Huron and the OPP detachment for comment."
In a news release issued Thursday, the Township of North Huron said the incident represents "a significant act that the Township and our community must take seriously."
"The level of this incivility escalated significantly at our most recent Council meeting after which physical harm was experienced by a member of council from a member of the public," Reeve Paul Heffer said in the statement.
The Township further stated that "this behaviour will not be tolerated” and that it is taking steps “to ensure the safety and security of members of Council, staff and the public."
Council meetings will temporarily move to a virtual format, with the Township citing the need to protect "the welfare (health and safety) of the community."
The incident comes amid ongoing debate in North Huron over a bylaw that prohibits members of the public from recording council meetings.
Darren Leung, who identifies himself as counsel for Hill, provided a statement regarding the recording issue.
"Freedom of the press guarantees citizens the right to record and publish matters of public interest, which is especially significant when dealing with democratic institutions such as elected municipal councils," Leung wrote.
No charges have been announced at this time.
The OPP investigation remains ongoing.
