A video circulating on the Internet shows MP and former cabinet minister Marco Mendicino being spat on on his way into a government building in Ottawa.
In the video, posted on Canadian YouTube account Free Living on Thursday, the MP can be seen entering a government building and people stopping to talk to him.
First, we see Mendicino talking to individuals as they express their frustration with the current government.
The video then shows Mendicino extending his arm and trying to shake hands with one of them, a man who is spitting on the deputy.
“Oh God, that doesn’t look very nice,” Mendicino can be heard saying in the video.
After the incident, the MP immediately entered the building.
Shortly afterwards, the video shows Mendicino coming back outside with a member of the Parliamentary Protective Service (PPS) and pointing at the man.
“Why are you spitting on our MPs?” the officer asks the man, to which he replies: “I’m sorry, it wasn’t intentional.”
The officer then asks the man to apologize.
“I’m sorry. I’m just frustrated,” the protester says before confronting Mendicino again in person.
The incident ended with a handshake after the protester told Mendicino he was sorry.
The video shows the man shaking hands with MP Marco Mendicino. (Canadian Free Living / Youtube)
“As the matter remains under investigation, I will not comment at this time,” Mendicino said in a statement to CTV News.
Several MPs expressed concerns to CTV News about the safety of MPs and ministers and the fact that incidents of this nature are not followed through with consequences.
CTV has also reached out to the PPS for a response but has not yet received a comment on the incident.
Ottawa police said no emergency calls were received in the area.
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