RCMP revealed Thursday that officers have seized a “substantial amount” of firearms from homes in the evacuated town of High River. “We just want to make sure that all of those things are in a spot that we control, simply because of what they are,” said Sgt. Brian Topham. That news didn’t sit well with a crowd of frustrated residents who had planned to breach a police checkpoint northwest of the town as an evacuation order stretched into its eighth day.
Staff
Sgt. Kevin Morton tries to help Jeff Langford, green shirt middle, with
Ian Scheelar, left and Greg Kvisle come up with a plan to help him get
some answers. Evacuees confronted the RCMP on the northwest corner of
town in a bid to enter the Town of High River on Thursday, June 27th
2013, one week after the Highwood River flooded leaving the whole town
empty. The protest stopped after and hour and a half but plans are to
make it bigger on Friday.
Photograph by: Lorraine Hjalte, Calgary Herald
Evacuees,
including Bob Michouluk Sr., confronted the RCMP on the northwest
corner of town in a bid to enter the Town of High River on Thursday,
June 27th 2013, one week after the Highwood River Flooded leaving the
whole town empty. RCMP laid a spike belt down across the road to
prevent them from travelling down it.
Photograph by: Lorraine Hjalte, Calgary Herald
Additional Photos Available Here
“We just want to make sure that all of those things are in a spot that we control, simply because of what they are,” said Sgt. Brian Topham.
“People have a significant amount of money invested in firearms ... so we put them in a place that we control and that they’re safe.”
That news didn’t sit well with a crowd of frustrated residents who had planned to breach a police checkpoint northwest of the town as an evacuation order stretched into its eighth day.
“I find that absolutely incredible that they have the right to go into a person’s belongings out of their home,” said resident Brenda Lackey, after learning Mounties have been taking residents’ guns. “When people find out about this there’s going to be untold hell to pay.”
About 30 RCMP officers set up a blockade at the checkpoint, preventing 50 residents from walking into the town. Dozens more police cars, lights on, could be seen lining streets in the town on standby.
Officers laid down a spike belt to stop anyone from attempting to drive past the blockade. That action sent the crowd of residents into a rage.
“What’s next? Tear gas?” shouted one resident.
“It’s just like Nazi Germany, just taking orders,” shouted another.
“This is the reason the U.S. has the right to bear arms,” said Charles Timpano, pointing to the group of Mounties.
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Up in arms: seizure by Mounties of flood evacuees' guns generates debate
HIGH RIVER, Alta. - The RCMP's seizure of guns from the homes of some Alberta flood evacuees had people in many camps up in arms Friday with the Prime Minister's Office demanding the weapons be returned as soon as possible and sports shooters calling the move an "act of aggression."The Mounties confirmed they had taken guns from homes as officers searched homes in High River's flood zone to look for flood victims, pets and anything that might pose a threat to returning residents.
An RCMP official said any guns removed from homes were not properly stored.
In a statement released Friday, the force said officers found that some gun owners had laid out their weapons in plain view as they presumably moved valuable possessions to higher ground.
The weapons were tagged for return to their owners.
"The last thing any gun owner wants is to have their guns fall into the wrong hands. Residents of High River can be assured that firearms now in possession of the RCMP are in safe hands, and will be returned to them as soon as is practically possible," said assistant commissioner Marianne Ryan.
That angered High River residents, who have been anxious to return to their homes to assess flood damage. An evacuation order for the town of about 13,000 residents was in its ninth day Friday, although it was announced some homeowners were being allowed to return Saturday.
The seizure generated opinions on all sides, including from the highest political office in the land.
"We expect that any firearms taken will be returned to their owners as soon as possible," said Stephen Harper's press secretary Carl Vallee.
"We believe the RCMP should focus on more important tasks such as protecting lives and private property."
In a statement, Tony Bernardo, executive director of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association, called it an "act of aggression."
"This ... is further proof that the RCMP have a not-so-hidden agenda to take guns away from responsible gun owners," said Bernardo, who also sits on the federal public safety minister's firearms advisory committee.
Alberta Premier Alison Redford said she was disappointed to face questions about the gun situation. She suggested there were more important issues to deal with coming out of the flood disaster.
"Let's just make it very clear, the provincial government did not take away anyone's guns," Redford said. "The RCMP went in and secured a community that had been evacuated. And as part of that work, as I understand it, they went into houses where there were firearms that weren't properly secured and, as opposed to leaving them sitting on fireplace mantles in a town that was evacuated, they secured those guns.
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