Three arrested at Calgary demonstrations related to Middle East conflict

Demonstrations were held in Calgary on Sunday by both sides of the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Calgary police say three people were arrested.

Police in Calgary say three people were arrested in connection with protests at the city's Olympic Plaza on Sunday, where it noted earlier in the day demonstrations relating to conflict in the Middle East were taking place.

They say in a news release that the charges ranged from breach of peace to one arrest for assault with a weapon.

In a social media post earlier Sunday, police said approximately 330 people gathered at Olympic Plaza to show support for Palestine and Israel.

The post said that due to incidents of violence, police were asking the public to avoid the area as they worked with both groups to de-escalate the conflict.

Police say they will continue to uphold Charter rights to protest, but remind Calgarians "there are very definitive expectations and responsibilities to those who choose to protest."

They say they will not tolerate those who put the safety of the public or police officers at risk.

"Calgary is a diverse city, and we understand that this means diversity in thought and in causes that are immensely important to Calgarians," police said in a news release, which noted there have been multiple protests and demonstrations across Calgary in the past two weeks in support of a variety of communities and causes.

"We maintain that we police behaviours and not beliefs, and in the last two protests we have seen increasingly escalating behaviour that has required police intervention."

Police posted on social media at around 5 p.m. local time that the crowd had dispersed and traffic was returning to normal.

Police said they encourage anyone who is planning an event or a demonstration to review information on their website.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2023