A man has been charged after four people were injured when a Jeep ran into a group of protesters who were participating in the Freedom Convoy rally on the grounds of the legislature in Winnipeg on the night of Feb. 4.
The Jeep fled the scene down Portage Avenue, where witnesses said it was travelling at high speeds and running red lights. Winnipeg Police released a statement on Feb. 5 saying that with the help of the RCMP, they made an arrest about 40 minutes after being advised of the incident.Winnipeg Police arrested a 42-year-old male from Headingly, Manitoba. He is facing a number of charges, including four counts of assault with a weapon, two counts of dangerous operation of a conveyance cause bodily harm, and two counts of failing to stop at scene of accident.
In a press conference on Feb. 5, Rob Carver, public information officer with the Winnipeg Police, was asked to comment on the motivation of the accused, who is in police custody.
“The accused was not participating in the protest. What some comments he made after his arrest suggested is that his motivation was not specifically about the underlying causes of the protest or the mandates,” he said.
Three men sustained minor injuries and received medical attention onsite, while a fourth man was treated in hospital and released.
“It was moving at a fairly decent clip and and it’s it’s pretty miraculous that nobody sustained any any serious injuries,” Carver said.
Winnipeg Police had previously described the protests as peaceful, and Carver said he believed the incident was a “one-off.”
“I would like to say that everyone has been very peaceful, very cooperative with us. Very prepared to engage in dialogue with our officers,” he said.
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