British Columbia’s civilian police watchdog has cleared RCMP of any wrongdoing in relation to a tractor crash during an anti-SOGI protest near Highway 1 in November.
The tractor rolled on the on-ramp to the 176 Street overpass in Surrey on Nov. 25, as it was being pursued by police vehicles. Video of the crash circulated widely on social media.
In a media release Friday, the Independent Investigations Office described the collision as a “result of interactions between the police vehicles and the tractor.”
“The tractor rolled over, and male driver of the tractor was ejected from the vehicle. The driver sustained a serious injury and was transported to a local hospital for treatment,” the IIO said.
The driver, identified as Bill Shoker, was participating in a “STOP SOGI 123” “road rally,” according to his wife.
SOGI 123 is a resource package designed to help teachers and school administrators reduce discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) in their curriculum, and has become a political flashpoint in recent years.
Shoker’s wife said he had participated in numerous anti-SOGI rallies in the region.
In its update, the IIO said it had reviewed civilian witness statements, forensic scene analysis, video footage, medical records and police records and determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe any officer may have committed an offence.