Exclusive – Person Tasered (x2) By Cobourg Police at YMCA Northumberland Talks With Today’s Northumberland

Fifty-four-year-old Brett Smith was charged by Cobourg Police with failing to leave premises upon direction, cause disturbance, and assault with intent to resist arrest on Wednesday, December 16.

In a press release issued by Cobourg Police it stated, “police were dispatched to a business in the north west area of the Town of Cobourg for an unwanted person. It was reported that staff were having an on-going issue with a man not wearing a mask and wanted him removed from the business.”

The release stated the man was asked to leave the premises, but refused.  Police allege that Smith resisted arrest to the point where police deployed a Taser to safely effect the arrest.

In an interview with Today’s Northumberland, Smith said the incident happened at YMCA Northumberland on Elgin Street.

Smith said he’s been going to the facility up to four times a week for working out since he arrived in Canada approximately three years ago from Australia and “never had an issue.”

During the first incident two weeks ago staff had cautioned Smith for not wearing a mask properly, but Smith stated his beliefs to a staff member including, “the virus was deliberately released around the world.”

But Smith states, it wasn’t anything confrontational.

During the second incident last week, his mask wasn’t affixed firmly while he was doing a “rep” with weights.

“When I finish the set I’ll get up and put it on.”

Smith again stated his opinion about the virus, including having the mask on was more dangerous.

Before going to work out on Wednesday at approximately 12:30 p.m. a staff member approached Smith as he entered the building stating there had been a “couple of incidents” over the last two weeks.

The staff member and Smith exchanged words, and Smith again stated his opinion about COVID-19 and the woman stated she was going to cancel his membership.

Smith said he was ok with that as long as they refunded his money.

The woman stated if he did go up to the weight room, she was going to call police.

“If that’s what you want to do, do it.  I’m going to work out,” he told the woman.

Smith went upstairs to work out, and five minutes later, two police officers arrived to escort him out.

Officers told Smith he had to leave by officers, but Smith said he’d only go if he saw the refund by the facility.

Officers told him they weren’t interested in that, but he had to leave the facility.

“I said, I’m not interested in anything your saying because until that’s done I’m not moving.”

Smith said officers warned him that he would be arrested if he didn’t leave.

But Smith again told the officers he wasn’t leaving until he got a refund from the facility.

When officers went to grab Smith they all fell to the floor.

The one officer told Smith to “stop resisting.”

When Smith saw the Taser, “I started to get furious.”

When he got Tasered the first time, “it hurt like hell.”

“Then I started to get really mad.”

Smith was Tasered once again, and then complied and was walked out of the facility in handcuffs and taken to hospital to remove the Taser prongs.

But while waiting with the two officers for an hour for the prongs to be removed, at first Smith admits he was “egging” the one officer.

Smith ended up having a conversation with both officers about his beliefs with the officers.

At one point Smith apologized to the officers even though he knew he would be charged.

“I don’t blame the police at all.  I feel bad police were being involved in issues like this.”

Smith even states he’s not for defunding the police.

“I look at cops like all professions.  There is good and there is bad.  They’ve got a crap job, they don’t get paid enough money.”

Smith said, “it wasn’t the cops it was the Karen’s” referring to staff at the Y.

Along with the charges that have yet to be proven in court, Smith said he still hasn’t got his refund.