A video of Canada police storming a home on New Year's Eve over a party of six has gone viral for allegedly using excessive force, Fox News reported.
The video, as per Fox News, have caught the attention of Donald Trump, Jr. who retweeted it as "insanity."
While Canadian broadcaster and Rebel News Founder Ezra Levant tweeted, "There were six people in a house in Gatineau, Canada. A neighbour snitched. Police went in, Gestapo style. Assaulting citizens."
This is insanity and it's coming here soon if you don't wake the hell up. https://t.co/48Qk0u3tWr
"” Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) January 3, 2021
Levant's tweet accompanied the video that was originally posted by Nusakan Le Recalcitrant, one of those arrested. The video has been viewed 5.5 million times and received 33,300 likes, 16,800 retweets, and 4,800 quoted tweets as of writing time.
Fox News revealed netizens were on a divide after watching the video saying "police officers should have tried to diffuse the situation, while others said the responding officers were in a difficult situation and simply upholding the province's mandate."
The said video actually shows the arrest done by two groups of police officers to Gatineau, Quebec residents who had a New Year's Eve party despite the province's COVID-19 mandate against the intermingling of households. The first group were the original responders while the second group came as emergency responders when the situation went out of control, Fox News said.
According to CBC, the police received an anonymous call from a neighbor who complained about the private gathering around 11pm ET. CBC explained that Quebec prohibits at the moment visitors from another address to visit or be inside people's homes because of the lockdown.
CBC said that one of those arrested, Mattieu Tessier, complained that they were treated "like animals, like criminals" after posting a video of the arrest in his Facebook account. CBC presented Tessier's narration that his sister originally spoke to the police and when his mother asked his sister to come in because she didn't have a mask on, the police officers allegedly took their mother by the "arms from the house and pulled to get her out." This started the commotion since his mother screamed and he went to help her.
CBC reported the Gatineau police clarified that what was posted in Tessier's account was only a portion of the actual incident, particularly after "one of those being arrested assaulted a police officer."
"Intervention of Dec 31: The video only shows an extract of the intervention. The individuals were Recalcitrant and refused to cooperate. The individual arrested in the video had assaulted a police officer, hitting him in the face a few times," explained the Gatineau Police in its 2-part tweet.
"Offense = obligation to identify oneself. A second person was also arrested and 6 reports issued (Public Health Act). We ask for your collaboration to continue to respect health measures and collaborate during any police intervention," read the second part of their tweet.
Gatineau Police also responded to Levant's "Gestapo" accusation stating, "First 2 officers were wearing their masks, speaking outside with the owner. Some people became agressive. One male hit an officer multiple times in the face. The officers who were not wearing masks were called as back up and due to the emergency, didn't have time to put it on."
