Someone called police on a woman doing tai chi in an Ottawa park
Ottawa police interim chief Steve Bell has responded to social media posts and a request from a city councillor regarding an incident in Dundonald Park involving officers and a woman doing tai chi with a sword.
A post on Reddit Monday claimed someone called police on the elderly woman in the Centretown park. The post said that police became aggressive with the woman, who could not speak English, but also that officers were eventually able to get someone on the phone who could translate before the woman was apparently told to leave.
The post received more than 1,200 comments and it was widely shared on social media.
Somerset Coun. Catherine McKenney said they requested an explanation from police.
“What I am reading is exceptionally concerning and unwarranted,” they said on Twitter.
Umair Muhammad witnessed the incident. He told CTV News Ottawa's Colton Praill that the woman is often at the park.
"I often come to this park in the morning with my son and there’s often an elderly Chinese lady who comes and does tai chi in the playground area and sometimes she has this ornamental sword that she uses as part of her practice," he said.
Ornamental swords used for tai chi are sometimes retractable and are typically blunt.
Muhammad said the woman had put her sword away in a bag by the time police arrived.
"They grabbed the bag and started telling her to sit down and follow their instructions or that she would be arrested if she didn’t do that. I approached the scene and started asking questions about why they were even there and why they were treating her that way and tried to tell them that look, she’s often here, she’s not making any trouble, she’s just doing her tai chi," he said. "The police woman, she put her arm out and kept holding her at arms length, just saying, ‘Sit down, I’m at my limit, you’re going to be arrested.’"
He called the incident "absurd."
"The police were over-zealous. Maybe this park has a reputation, there’s reasons for them to be on their guard when they’re here, but there’s also reason to look at the situation in a sober way before going in over-zealously," Muhammad said. "I don’t know why the language barrier issue was something that caught the police off-guard, we’re a block or two away from Chinatown."
POLICE RESPONSE
In a response late Monday night, Bell said police were called at around 9:50 a.m. Monday. The caller was concerned about the woman’s sword, which Bell claimed was described as being “75 inches” (6-foot-3) in length. Bell said the caller hung up before more information could be gleaned.
“A patrol officer attended the Somerset St. West park at 9:59 a.m. and located a woman inside the fenced area of the children’s park. The officer was also directed to her by concerned parents,” Bell wrote.
“The officer attempted to speak with the woman but there was a language barrier and the discussion between the officer and woman became animated. The officer asked the woman to sit on a bench while they investigated.”
Bell wrote that police were eventually able to reach an officer who spoke Cantonese and Mandarin to translate over the phone. He said the sword was a collapsible device, which was indeed being used for tai chi.
“It (the sword) was returned to the woman. There was no arrest or charge and the elderly woman willingly left the park without incident. She was not directed to leave,” Bell claimed. “The officer chose not to ask for the woman’s identification to avoid escalating the situation further.”
Bell said the incident highlights that police officers are sometimes called to situations with limited information and misunderstandings happen. He also said social media can amplify those misunderstandings.
McKenney shared Bell’s memo on their Twitter feed. The Ottawa Police Service also published it in full in a 14-tweet thread.
The interim chief has asked for a full review.
“I have asked for the call to be reviewed from the initial 911 call to conclusion. It's important that our community sees this information and considers the impacts of misunderstandings and barriers like language. It is something we can all learn from,” he said.
NO DANGER FROM TAI CHI SWORD, INSTRUCTOR SAYS
A tai chi instructor tells CTV News Ottawa ornamental swords used in tai chi are harmless.
"There’s many ancient weapons but they are of course not used as weapons. For swords we use ornamental ones. In my 23 years of practicing I have never seen anyone who ever thought of buying a sharpened sword for tai chi," said Eduardo Molon, Chen Yingjun Tai Chi Ottawa instructor.
"We use them to foster special qualities in our movement. If a teacher wants to correct a student’s movement he might prescribe a sword," Molon explained. "If you bang yourself with a sword your arm will break it - the collapsable one - if you poke yourself, it will retract. There’s no danger at all for anyone."
Yukang Li, the executive director of the Chinatown BIA, said this was a "very sad incident."
"The fact that this incident happened, someone called police to report on an old lady practicing tai chi in a park? This reflects the very sad truth of our society," Li said. "This instance surely has a negative impact on community members who use the public spaces, such as Dundonald Park, especially, you know, people who are of a minority background; they would hesitate before coming to place this again."
Li said it was likely a case of ignorance of the practice of tai chi that prompted the individual who called police to complain.
"Why are we living in a multicultural society like Canada is and still not familiar with another different culture? That’s the question I have."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.