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The Metropolis of Langford has issued an announcement after an individual reportedly took images of the within of a councillor’s house and harassed them.
In a launch Wednesday, Langford Mayor Scott Goodmanson mentioned a “disgruntled member of the general public” who has lengthy been vocal about their dissatisfaction with council was seen staring via the home windows of a councillor’s house, and was seemingly taking pictures.
“When confronted, the individual started harassing the councillor about private issues which can be utterly unrelated to metropolis enterprise,” mentioned Goodmanson.
The councillor later filed a report with the West Shore RCMP.
Festering harassment
Goodmanson says there was rising resentment from a small group of Langford residents that has been mounting because the metropolis’s new council got here into energy in 2022.
“Sadly, a small minority of residents have been unable to just accept this [council] and have indulged in behaviour that creates an environment of concern, distrust, anger, and hostility,” he mentioned.
“When elected officers and their households can not really feel protected of their house, when workers start to dread interactions with sure members of the general public, when members of the general public don’t really feel protected taking part in democracy, together with working for workplace, or attending open public conferences, we now have reached a degree the place we should determine between fostering productive civil discourse or permitting incivility and aggression to turn out to be the usual of behaviour,” mentioned Goodmanson.
Town warns that in some circumstances folks could also be banned from attending council conferences if they’re making workers, councillors or different members of the general public really feel unsafe.
In additional extreme circumstances, authorized motion could also be taken, the town says.
SEE ALSO: Langford resident blames ‘vocal minority’ for out-of-hand council meetings
“It’s time for present and former leaders in our group, together with former Mayor Stewart Younger, to strongly denounce this inappropriate and troubling behaviour which erodes the muse of the group,” mentioned Goodmanson.
“We should work collectively to create a metropolis we will all be pleased with and really feel protected in.”
Problematic civil discourse has plagued Langford over the previous two years.
In June 2023, the mayor famous that some councillors have been receiving “thinly veiled death threats” on-line, whereas Coun. Mary Wagner mentioned feedback have been going past “destructive suggestions” and amounted to “bullying, harassment, private assaults.”
READ MORE: ‘Thinly veiled death threats’ against Langford council prompts social media policy
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