RCMP Officers Cleared of Wrongdoing in Tractor Crash During British Columbia Anti-SOGI Rally

People protest against SOGI 123 in Abbotsford, B.C., on Dec. 29, 2023. Courtesy of Kanwalijit Singh

British Columbia’s civilian police watchdog has cleared officers of any wrongdoing in the collision between a Royal Canadian Mounted Police vehicle and a tractor during an anti-SOGI protest last November.

The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of B.C. launched an investigation into the Nov. 25 crash after a police pursuit ended with the tractor rolling on the on-ramp to the 176 Street overpass in Surrey.

The collision occurred as a group of protesters drove slowly down the Trans-Canada Highway as a way to show their opposition to the SOGI (sexuality, orientation and gender identity) curriculum being taught in B.C. schools.

The man driving the tractor was ejected and sustained serious injuries. He was subsequently transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Media reports at the time of the incident identified the tractor driver as Chilliwack resident Bill Shoker.

The IIO described the collision as a “result of interactions between the police vehicles and the tractor.”

“The Chief Civilian Director has reviewed the evidence—civilian witness statements, forensic scene analysis, video footage, medical records, and police information—and determined that there are no reasonable grounds to believe any officer may have committed an offense,” the IIO said in a press release.

The civilian group said it would not release its public report detailing its findings until court proceedings on the matter have concluded.

The IIO findings come after months of ongoing protests in Surrey and Abbotsford against the SOGI 123 curriculum. The resources, which are used by all 60 school districts in B.C., were developed by the ARC Foundation.

The ARC Foundation has been described as a charity that “collaborates with educators so that students of all sexual orientations and gender identities can live their authentic lives.”

At the end of December 2023, a group in Abbotsford protested 24 hours for seven consecutive days, calling on the government to remove SOGI 123 materials from schools.

Videos of the Abbotsford protests could be seen on social media of protesters holding signs that read “Stop SOGI 123” and “Our Kids Our Choice: Parents Have Rights.”

Similar protests caused an Abbotsford school board to cancel a meeting in September 2023, after hundreds of protestors gathered outside. Trustees called the police to be escorted out of the building.

The Abbotsford protests follow similar displays across the country, including one on Sept. 20 called the 1 Million March for Children. Thousands turned out to protest, including some who showed up to counter-protest.

The Million March organizers’ main website lists their goals as eliminating the SOGI curriculum, preferred pronouns, and mixed-gender bathrooms.

Similar rallies were held in various cities across Canada on Oct. 21, a month after the first 1 Million March was organized.

Chandra Philip contributed to this report.