A 71-year old man from Quill Lake was arrested in Saskatoon Wednesday after allegedly causing a disturbance towards volunteers who were engaged in a Pridewalk painting.

At 9 p.m., police were told of a disturbance at Broadway Avenue and 10th Street. Initial reports stated that a man was aggressively shouting at a group of workers painting a crosswalk. It was also reported that the man was attempting to remove road barricades. Officers found a suspect and charged him with causing a disturbance.

Out Saskatoon says the actions were fueled by homophobic and racist comments, attempting to incite violence. The organization says this, and the recent aggravated assault on a queer man in Toronto are reminders of the harassment and violence 2SLGBTQ communities continue to face.

The suspect was released on an appearance notice. No one was injured during the incident. He is expected to appear in court November 24th.