Nanaimo City Councillors listen on as a man makes unsubstantiated claims against Mayor Leonard Krog, before being arrested after refusing to leave despite repeated requests by Council and City Staff. (City of Nanaimo)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

MEETING DEVOLVES

‘An embarrassment:’ two arrested after Nanaimo Council delegation refuses to leave

May 28, 2024 | 4:53 PM

NANAIMO — A gradually escalating differing of opinion between City Council and a small group of local residents boiled over Monday night, resulting in two people being escorted away in police handcuffs.

Mayor Leonard Krog called an early, un-planned recess during the Monday, May 27 Council meeting, after a delegation appearing in Chambers repeatedly refused requests and instructions to sit down and end his allotted time.

The man was eventually arrested by police and Krog later called the incident “an embarrassment” for all involved.

“We had two delegations which I can very politely say got somewhat out of hand. The purpose of delegations is to raise issues that are important to citizenry. It is an opportunity for them to act respectfully, to speak respectfully. It is not an opportunity to attack the Mayor or members of Council.”

Delegations are afforded under City bylaw five minutes to bring issues related to the City to Council’s attention.

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During an initial two minutes the delegation made unsubstantiated claims against Krog’s conduct as Mayor and asked him to vacate his role as meeting chair during the delegation’s presentation, which the Mayor “respectfully” declined.

The man, who NanaimoNewsNOW is opting not to name, then asked for his five minute timer to be reset, which Krog again declined by saying he had around three minutes remaining.

He spoke for roughly another four minutes before the microphone was shut off, triggering a shouting exchange between the man and Krog before Krog called for a recess and Council left the room.

RCMP officers arrived in Chambers 13 minutes later, speaking first to the Mayor and Council in a side room, before returning to the podium where the man remained.

After a brief discussion, officers placed the man in handcuffs and removed him from the room.

A woman was also arrested a minute later as several in the gallery jeered both Council and the RCMP members.

“Having to call police into Council Chambers to be able to carry on with a Council meeting in 2024 in a modern, liberal state of democracy is an embarrassment, and the people who behave in that manner should be embarrassed,” Krog said after the incident.

Nanaimo RCMP told NanaimoNewsNOW no charges are pending against the pair and they were simply removed from the premises.

Both were seen in posted photos and videos outside the Vancouver Island Conference Centre after the meeting wrapped.

An earlier delegation, including a man who has appeared multiple times over recent weeks, performed a skit at the podium regarding City finances. (City of Nanaimo)

The arrests Monday night come after a repeating trend in recent months of using the delegation time at Council meetings to spread widely debunked misinformation and conspiracy theories.

An earlier delegation appeared before Council dressed as a King and a Queen and delivered a loosely-rehearsed skit focused on taxpayer money and City spending.

The man involved in the performance has appeared before Council several times in recent months, speaking on subjects ranging from the Nanaimo Operations Centre to the City’s alleged involvement in World Economic Forum policy.

Those speeches, along with others presenting, have brought a considerable amount of applause, cheers and jeers from the gallery, all of which is prohibited at Council meetings.

On Monday night, as he has in weeks past, Krog reminded the gallery any outward display of emotion for or against a subject is not allowed.

Krog added abuse of the delegation portion of an agenda was a complete waste of City resources.

“It is not an opportunity to put on a play in a public place…it is not the time to waste taxpayers’ money which pays for the presence of all the staff here, the renting of this room, the recording of proceedings and all the staff who are preparing minutes of what occurs in these meetings.”

Despite the interruption, Council proceeded with its regular agenda which included a discussion on a proposed Holly Ave. development and implementation of provincial legislation around housing.

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