Waterloo councillor ‘singed’ after being hit with firework

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A Waterloo councillor said she was allegedly hit with a firework “intentionally” on Monday, one of several such incidents across the region during Canada Day celebrations.

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Julie Wright, who represents Ward 7 in the city west of Toronto, said on social media that she was returning home from a drone show at Waterloo Park when she was hit in the face with a firework.

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“I am a little singed, but not significantly injured,” she said Monday in a post on X. “I was shot at multiple times and hit once. This firework insanity has to stop.”

Wright told CBC News she was with her family when she saw a man trying to light fireworks at McGregor Senior Public School, near Central and Albert Sts., while families pushing baby strollers and walking their dogs passed.

“So I yelled at him,” she told CBC News, adding her husband was able to get a picture of the man and send it to police. “I was like, ‘What the heck are you doing? Get out of there!’ And he just turned on me and started firing the Roman candles right at me.

“There were multiple fireworks, probably two to three of them. I got one in the ear.”

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Waterloo Regional Police, which said they “take all such assaults very seriously” in a reply on X, charged a 37-year-old man from Kitchener on Wednesday with assault with a weapon and assault.

Waterloo Regional Police were also investigating incidents Monday night in Kitchener after a “large group” of youths were allegedly setting off fireworks into crowds of people, including children and police officers, at Victoria Park.

They said in one instance a firework was set off underneath a baby stroller, although the baby was not physically injured.

“However, as a result, a fight broke out between two large groups of people,” said Waterloo Regional Police, adding that pepper spray was used to disperse the crowd.

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Police charged a 17-year-old with assaulting a peace officer. They said they also laid liquor charges during the festivities and responded to a report of a robbery where a handgun was allegedly seen and an alleged swatting call that indicated a mass shooting would take place at Victoria Park with officers being a target.

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Kitchener Mayor Barry Vrbanovic said on Tuesday that he would be meeting with staff and the police to respond to the incidents.

“Yesterday, thousands of people of all ages in downtown Kitchener and hundreds in Victoria Park celebrated Canada Day and all the things that make Canada great, without incident,” Vrbanovic said in a statement posted on X. “I was one of them. Let’s not lose sight of the awesomeness experienced by many throughout yesterday.

“Unfortunately, a small group of young people, later in the evening, chose to break the law and behave illegally, putting both people and property in danger.”

Anyone with information or video footage can contact 519-570-9777, Ext. 4499, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 or waterloocrimestoppers.com.

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