N.S. RCMP seek to identify protestors who swarmed Premier Tim Houston’s car

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston says protesters swarmed his car and broke glass while he was trying to leave a speaking engagement in the Annapolis Valley.

The RCMP is investigating an incident in Wolfville, N.S., which saw protestors swarming a vehicle carrying Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston on Wednesday.

Houston was leaving Acadia University after speaking at an event when police say protestors blocked the premier’s vehicle from leaving.

“An individual climbed onto it and the windshield was smashed. During the incident, protesters surrounded the vehicle, preventing it from leaving the venue,” reads a news release from RCMP on Thursday.

“These criminals blocked them in, were pushing law enforcement,” reads a statement from Sean Joudry with the premier’s office after the incident.

“It was a volatile situation for sure, so I was thankful for the law enforcement and security personnel that were there,” Houston said in Yarmouth, N.S., on Thursday.

He says he usually engages with protestors to speak and hear their opinion.

“But it was clear that this was not a situation where people wanted to have any engagement,” the premier says. “This is not something that should be happening in Nova Scotia, it’s not who we are.”

In a social media post, Houston calls the incident “violence.”

“[They] climbed on top of the car I was in, pounding on the doors and windows,” he says.

Kings District RCMP received a report of concerns for safety, and the premier was escorted inside a nearby building. Police say no injuries were reported.

One man was arrested and taken to the New Minas Detachment and later released without charges.

“The arrest was related to an incident that occurred during the protest. The individual arrested is not believed to have been involved in the damage to the premier’s vehicle or in preventing that vehicle from leaving the area,” reads the release.

The incident has sparked condemnation from local to federal levels.

Prime Minister Mark Carney took to social media on Wednesday, writing, “There is no excuse to resort to violence and intimidation.”

The Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities (NSFM) says peaceful protest is a democratic right, and residents must be able to raise concerns and participate in public debate.

“However, there is no place in public life for threats, property damage, or actions that put elected officials, staff, police, protesters, or members of the public at risk,” says the organization in a statement on Thursday.

NSFM president and Mayor of Bridgewater David Mitchell says the incident must be condemned clearly and without qualification.

“Whether someone serves at the municipal, provincial, or federal level, they should be able to do their work and engage with the public without fearing for their safety,” he says in the statement.

The organization points to an ongoing trend of increasing hostility toward municipal leaders and public servants, saying online threats, harassment and aggressive rhetoric have become a more common feature of political life.

“When harassment and intimidation become normalized, it discourages good people from participating in local government and weakens the democratic institutions our communities rely one,” Mitchell adds.

RCMP is seeking to identify the people involved in blocking the departure of the premier and staff, as well as those responsible for damaging the vehicle.

Police urge anyone with information or footage to contact Kings District RCMP at 902-679-5555. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers online or by calling 1-800-222-8477.

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page