The City of Toronto is investigating after one of its snowplows appeared to have driven through a crowd of protesters without stopping, a move officials have called “completely unacceptable.”
On Tuesday evening, a group of pro-Palestinian protesters were gathered outside the U.S. Consulate building on University Avenue, near Dundas Street, when a small snowplowing tractor appeared to have driven at and through them.
Videos posted to social media show the orange vehicle driving toward the group and continuing on as people move out of the way.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said she was shocked when she saw the video and has asked the city to look into it.
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“Upon looking at that video, I have asked the City of Toronto to investigate what has happened because this person obviously is driving an instrument that is supposed to work for the City of Toronto,” she said.
A spokesperson for the city said the incident was “troubling” and involved a sidewalk snowplow being operated by one of its contractors. The tractor was out on a dry run ahead of winter.
“The behaviour displayed is completely unacceptable and falls short of the standards we expect from contractors operating on behalf of the City of Toronto,” the city said.
“This conduct does not reflect the City’s values and expectations.”
Toronto police said they had reviewed the incident, but did not believe there was criminal intent in what happened.
They said no arrests were made, no injuries reported and nobody had come forward to request an investigation.
“We have no victim or complainant — no one has come forward to make a report to police,” a spokesperson said.
“Without that, there is no basis for further investigation. If someone wishes to report the incident to police, that could change.”
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