Fireworks, large crowds and chaos in downtown Kitchener for Victoria Day

CTV’s Alexandra Holyk has the latest as four teens are facing charges in a disturbance at Kitchener’s Victoria Park.

Victoria Day was anything but quiet in downtown Kitchener.

Videos, shared with CTV News, showed hundreds of people in the streets and a large response from Waterloo Regional Police and bylaw officers.

“It was total chaos,” said a resident who lives on Water Street. “There was just hundreds of kids running around, out of control.”

“[I] could see a huge amount of youth that were walking along our sidewalk, in the road, in the parking garage,” a resident on Joseph Street explained. “They’re just goofing off [fireworks} at each other. But then also aiming at our house. They’re aiming at our vehicles in the driveway.”

Police said multiple complaints came in between 4:30 p.m. and 12 a.m. Most were for fireworks in and around Victoria Park, mischief and public intoxication, as well as noise complaints.

“A youth was arrested after throwing a lit firework that exploded on two motor vehicles,” police said in a media release. “The youth, a 15-year-old male from Cambridge, was charged with failing to comply with an undertaking and engaging in a prohibited act under the Trespass to Property Act.”

That was not the only bad behaviour on the streets.

According to police, someone set off fireworks at Queen Street South and Charles Street West.

“The firework then struck a police officer and a bylaw officer, who did not sustain any physical injuries,” they said.

The person wanted for that incident was only described as an unknown male.

At around 9 p.m., police closed public access to Victoria Park “to ensure public safety and the dispersal of the crowds.”

“We were continuously engaging with them and trying to keep crowds moving along,” explained Const. Chris Iden.

In all, four people were arrested in connection with Victoria Day celebrations in Waterloo Region.

Police said they will be reviewing their response, and what they could improve on, for future gatherings.

“We’re not even 24 hours after the event and there’s still a lot of information that we have to gather,” Iden said. “We are continuously working with the community to find ways how we can still make the day and the evening enjoyable.”

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CTV News reached out to Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic for his reaction. He called the gathering “disappointing.”

“A very small group of delinquent young people (estimated at about 200 people), once again created an unsafe and unwelcoming environment in Victoria Park and the surrounding neighbourhood for visitors and residents alike,” he said. “This type of behaviour has no place in our community and those accused of wrongdoing need to be held responsible and must be brought to justice.”

Officers with the Public Order Unit, Direct Action Response Team, Community and Youth Engagement Unit, General Investigations Unit and Community Policing were called to downtown Kitchener on Monday night.

The mayor praised their efforts.

“On behalf of council, I want to thank our City of Kitchener bylaw and corporate security teams, our partners at the Waterloo Regional Police Service, and our other emergency service partners both for their proactive planning ahead of Victoria Day and their immediate and effective response last night upon encountering the dangerous use of fireworks and anti-social behaviours in Victoria Park and the surrounding area.”