Witnesses to the “concerning incident” at Whitby council said Councillor Victoria Bozinovski was made to feel “extremely uncomfortable” while leaving the building to go home.
“No one should have had to go through what Councillor Victoria Bozinovski had to. She should have not have had to experience that while leaving the building at 11pm trying to go home. I was there with her and saw this happen, and how she felt having this should never happen with someone in their workplace.” said Deputy Mayor, Steve Lee.
He said the incident was “completely unacceptable last night” and thanked Mayor Elizabeth Roy for her statement and to Whitby’s security team and DRPS for ensuring the councillor in question was able to get to her car and home safely.
Mayor Roy said: “I want to address a concerning incident that occurred at Whitby Town Hall last night following council’s committee of the whole meeting. An individual associated with [a] media outlet… attended the meeting and, after adjournment, interacted with members of council and town staff in a way that made them feel extremely uncomfortable.”
Police Called In
She pointed out that this individual has a “well-documented history of confrontational interactions with public officials, including behaviour that many, particularly female politicians; have found to be intimidating”.
She went on the add that “town security had repeatedly advised the [media] representative that this behaviour was unacceptable and ultimately had to call Durham Regional Police.”
The mayor stated that she will not tolerate any member of Whitby Council being made to feel unsafe at town hall, and added that this situation “is not about limiting media access”. Rather, it’s a way to protect the female politicians in council.
“In recent months, more than two dozen media outlets have covered issues in Whitby, ranging from local publications to national news organizations. We welcome media of all types and respect the important role journalists play in covering both the successes and challenges in our community.”
Line Crossed
Mayor Roy clarified that “there is a clear line between legitimate journalism and conduct intended to provoke, intimidate, or harass, and in this case, that line was crossed”.
She confirmed that: “Targeted harassment of our female politicians cannot be tolerated. We have a responsibility to ensure that public service is safe for everyone, and that includes calling out and condemning behaviour that seeks to silence or discourage women from participating in civic life.”
Mayor Roy added that the behaviour is “not who we are in Whitby. As we approach the municipal election period, it is more important than ever that we uphold a respectful and constructive environment at town hall”.
She concluded her statement saying that she will continue working with town staff and Durham Regional Police as they investigate this incident and consider steps to ensure the safety of everyone who attends the meetings.
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