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Fight between Vancouver police, firefighter on YouTube

Last Updated: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 | 7:29 AM PT

CBC News

A video showing a fight between Vancouver police and an off-duty firefighter has cropped up on the popular website YouTube.

Police were called to a car accident near Vancouver's Granville Mall on Saturday night, when, they said, they encountered off-duty firefighter Curtis Mason, 44, and his son Grant, 20.

Vancouver police try to subdue off-duty firefighter on the Granville Mall over the weekend.
(www.youtube.com)

Police allege the Masons were unco-operative. Both have been charged with assaulting a police officer and obstructing police.

The video shows officers struggling with the Masons on the ground. At one point, an officer appears to hit one of the men twice with his baton.

Vancouver police Const. Howard Chow said the video shows how volatile the situation became.

"Clearly, at one point, one of our officers is at the bottom of this fight," he said.

A spokesman for the fire department said about six firefighters responded to the scene with police.

The firefighters recognized Curtis Mason and one tried to calm him down, said Capt. Rob Jones-Cook.

He also said he doesn't believe the incident will harm the relationship between police and firefighters.

Tom Stamatakis, the president of Vancouver Police Union agrees that the publicity surrounding the video hasn't created any animosity between police officers and firefighters, who often work together.

"The police will continue to police the city of Vancouver. Where we need to work with them, we'll work with them. Where they need to work with us, they'll work with us.

This story is now closed to commenting.

External Links

YouTube video of the fight

(Note: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external sites - links will open in new window)

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