Gordon Watson Wants Hotel Manager Charged With Assault: THE BATTLE OF THE WADDLING DOG — Part III
Journalist and longtime free speech campaigner Gordon Watson gives his account of his attendance at the Quality Inn Waddling Dog the afternoon when CAFE’s meeting was supposed to occur. The meeting had been arbitrarily and, in defiance of a verbal contract, been cancelled the previous afternoon by manager Brandon Petraroia. When asked to leave, Mr. Watson left quietly. Nevertheless, the manager threw him a body check in a clear attempt to provoke retaliation which would have invited the five or so Central Saanich officers sent to shut down the free speech meeting the opportunity to arrest Mr. Watson. In the formal Freedom of Information request delivered Monday, Mr. Watson demands that Petraroia be charged with assault.
Mr. Petraroia seems to be in his fourth year in a Bachelor’s programme in International Hotel Management at Royal Roads University in Victoria. In his resume, he lists bartending experience. He also boasts that he has the “ability to deal with the public.” As a bartender, one would assume he had some training in dealing with the public and in keeping his hands off visitors to his premises. It turns out he is also a hockey player for the Waddling Dog Greasers in a Victoria Island Hockey League. In two seasons, 2014-2016, he scored 36 points in 47 games. Can one assume he learned that the behavior permissible on the hockey rink — body checks and blocking — might not be proper off the rink, especially when the victim is more than twice his age. Petraroia graduated high school in 2009 — let’s say at age 18 or 19. Seven years later that would make him 25 or 26. Mr. Watson, the man he blocked and body checked is 67!
Mananger/”owner”? Brandon is behind the cop.
In his on-line resume, Mr. Petraroia lists himself as “assistant manager” at the Waddling Dog. He introduced himself to Mr. Watson as the owner and to Mr. Fromm alternately as the “manager” and “the owner.”
The Battle of the Waddling Dog continues.
Paul Fromm
Director
CANADIAN ASSOCIATION FOR FREE EXPRESSION
Below is the Freedom of Information demand which I hand delivered, at 11 am today (Monday, June 20, 2016)
it included the 20 pages of Your ward News / one page of your announcement of the meeting / 4 pages of photos taken that day
Gordon S Watson
— —- —-
Chief Constable Central Saanich police, Les Sylvain:
01 On Saturday June 18th 2016, I arrived at the Waddling Dog Quality Inn at approximately 1:45 pm, to find your officers Sihota and Apa and several others, on the premises. I went in to the building as I had done several times in previous years when I attended meetings convened there by Paul Fromm. Immediately inside the main door I noticed a chalkboard on an easel in front of the Library door saying “this area is closed”.
02 It occurred to me I might find people who’d arrived for the meeting which had been scheduled for the Library, and were puzzled what to do next, in the restaurant. So I headed down the hall towards it. A man followed me and asked who I was. When I said “I’m from the press” he asked for credentials. When I said I did not have such credentials on me, he told me to leave the premises. I asked him who he was. He replied “I’m the owner.” I said the words “I’m gone” or I may have said “I’m going”. Either way, it was clear to all concerned that I intended to leave. Turning back from going towards the restaurant, I proceeded the way I’d just come, so as to go out the main door. As I did so, the man who’d challenged me stepped in to my line of travel, jamming his left shoulder in to my body as I walked by him. Glancing back after being assaulted, I noticed he still had his feet planted firmly in a squat, knees slightly bent, which lowers one’s centre of gravity. There is no doubt in my mind but that he’d assumed that stance, readying himself to impede me, as part of provoking me to retaliate physically against him.
03 His act was what police officers / deputy sheriffs do when they want to arrest someone but don’t yet have an excuse = ie. deliberately make physical contact so as to provoke reaction in the target, of him reflexively shoving back, so they can then lay hands on that person, pretending that he had initiated an assault. In this instance, I did not pause in my travel towards the door. Rather, after I felt his shove, I stepped farther away from the man and said to him sarcastically “that’s so trite”. Sergeant Sihota was standing right there, paying attention to what was going on. Sgt. Sihota couldn’t have missed witnessing the man purposely putting his shoulder into my chest as I walked by him, and hearing my response to the assault
04 This is my complaint that that man – whose name I think is “Brandon” – should be charged with the offence of ‘assault”.
05 I came away insulted that police had let themselves be manipulated into enforcing denial of my right to freedom of association, ; my right to participate in democratic activity, along with denial of Paul Fromm’s freedom of speech. Especially, I was insulted that armed, uniformed officers of the government interfered with the reciprocal of freedom of speech, which is, my right to hear what he has to say on certain political issues. Having known Mr Fromm for over 20 years, and heard what he has to say about the pattern of vicissitudes he’s endured from his enemies during that time, there is no doubt in my mind but that the same old canard was played by them on Saturday June 18th 2016. Do I have to remind you that this kind of intimidation for suppressing political activity is one of the hallmarks of fascism? You were duped into the role of the goon squad = mis-appropriating the power, prestige and resources of local government to assist the enemies of freedom. The ‘show of force’ at the Waddling Dog Quality Inn in this instance was a disgrace upon the reputation of your police force.
06 Enclosed – integral to this my complaint – find a copy of Your Ward News / 20 pages. It predicted what played-out in the incident : that Canada is now so morally bankrupt that those of us who disagree with the Central Party line find ourselves facing policemen who mouthe the ridiculous excuse proffered by Sgt. Sihota : “we’re here to keep the peace … to see that everyone is safe”. Safe from what? Controversial Ideas? Safe from discomfort when confronted with concepts Outside the Box of what race traitors in high places deem palatable?!
07 Part of my role as a politician, is : scrutinizing allocation of resources of government. Enclosed – integral to this complaint – find a copy of the advertisement for the meeting which had been set for that day. I was there to get the facts with which to prepare my platform when standing for office of MLA in the provincial election. The electorate needs to know about how funds from public accounts are being misappropriated for elective surgeries. As well ; Citizens need to know that the present administration proposes amending the Criminal Code so critics of the insanity of “trans-gender-ism” could be charged with “hate speech”. I was there to participate in activity essential to the well-being of the body politic. In the farce your officers came off as The Thought Police.
08 Once I’d exited the building, I asked Sgt. Sihota ‘who called the police, and why?’. He told me he didn’t have to answer those questions. He directed me to talk to you. Therefore pursuant to the Freedom of Information & Protection of Privacy Act Revised Statutes of British Columbia, I require and hereby demand
09 copies of all records to do with that incident at the Waddling Dog Quality Inn on Saturday June 18 2016,
and without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
10 the full name of the man who presented himself as “the owner” and who is seen in the photos enclosed
11 copies of all materials accessed by the Central Saanich police force in support of your decision to send officers to the Waddling Dog that day, going to the question of “who called the police, and why?”
12 copies of all internet website pages viewed by any and every member of the Central Saanich police force, before, during and after this incident
13 copies of all communications in any and every form, including audio recordings of telephone calls to and from any and every member of the Central Saanich police, before, during and after this incident, concerning Paul Fromm
14 copies of all records in control of the Central Saanich Police department concerning me / my name Gordon Stephen Watson born September 10 1949.
15a printout of the PRIMEbc database concerning me / my name Gordon Stephen Watson born September 10 1949.
Gordon S Watson
