2 men arrested in protest outside Chinatown restaurant where Trudeau was dining

VANCOUVER Police deployed nearly 100 officers on Tuesday night to disperse a protest outside a Chinatown restaurant where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was dining.

The officers responded around 10 p.m., after approximately 250 people surrounded the restaurant on Main Street. VPD assisted in controlling and dispersing the crowd, while Trudeau was escorted out of the restaurant.

A 27-year-old Coquitlam man was arrested for assaulting a VPD officer, who was punched in the face and had her eyes gouged while dispersing the protest. The VPD officer received medical treatment for her injuries. VPD is recommending criminal charges against the man.

A 34-year-old man from Vancouver was arrested for obstructing police. He has been released from custody pending further investigation.

Videos posted earlier in the evening show Trudeau inside another restaurant being heckled by pro-Palestine protesters shouting “Ceasefire now!”

The Vancouver Police Department said it supports everyone’s right to peacefully assemble and to express their views. When protests occur, VPD’s primary role is to maintain order, to facilitate a peaceful environment for people to express themselves, and to respond to unlawful behaviour if it occurs.