It’s not unusual for someone to get tackled to the ice at a hockey game. However, it is unusual when it’s the police who are doing the tackling.
A hockey player in Calgary, Canada, was jumped on and tackled to the ice recently by the Calgary Police Service for participating in a hockey game that allegedly violated coronavirus restrictions in the province.
Calgary’s coronavirus restrictions reportedly limit sporting events to ten participants with two meters separating them. The game which drew the complaint apparently involved 40 participants.
“Officers were called to the area after responding to a request for assistance from Calgary Bylaw Services about a hockey game that consisted of far more people than what was allowed under Alberta’s Public Health Act,” Calgary CTV News reported.
The Calgary Police Service issued a statement claiming that the man who was arrested, 21-year-old Ocean Wiesblatt, was arrested with force due to his refusal to comply with officers.
“Despite signage outlining the rules at the site, Bylaw Services was called,” police wrote in a statement. “They explained the restrictions but could not get the users to comply. Due to their non-compliance and the size of the group, we were called to assist.”
The Calgary Police also claim that Wiesblatt refused to identify himself to the officers, which is a violation of Canadian law.