Emotions ran high in Canada when early reports out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, claimed the U.S. Marine band was chased out of an event by angry protesters on Saturday.
People took to social media demanding an apology over the alleged mistreatment of the Marines.
Members of the 2nd Marine Division band out of Camp, Lejeune, North Carolina, came face to face with Canadian protesters upset over the U.S. immigration policy of separating families at the Mexico border.
Protestors allegedly blocked the Marines from taking a group photo at the Grand Parade Square in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Halifax Today reported.
However, an opinion piece posted in The Coast described the incident as “false outrage” and “uneventful.”
Marine officials further downplayed the event in a statement to Marine Corps Times.
“The band went outside to take a group picture and at same time approximately 10 protesters were beginning to assemble. Once the protesters engaged them, the band respectfully returned to the performance building,” Corps officials said.
However, Halifax Mayor Mike Savage reached out to the U.S. consulate to say the incident wasn’t representative of Halifax, according to Halifax Today.
“Whatever we think of the policies of other governments, we shouldn’t take it out on people who are here from that country,” Savage told Halifax Today.
The Marines were in the area for the Nova Scotia Tattoo.
Shawn Snow is the senior reporter for Marine Corps Times and a Marine Corps veteran.
