"We just want to make sure that all of those things are in a spot that we control, simply because of what they are," is the 'excuse' that the Canadian Mounties are using to seize a “substantial amount” of firearms from homes in the evacuated town of High River. That news didn't sit well with a crowd of frustrated residents, as The Calgary Herald reports [4], who found it "absolutely incredible that [the Mounties] have the right to go into a person’s belongings out of their home,” warning that "when people find out about this there’s going to be untold hell to pay." About 30 RCMP officers set up a blockade at the checkpoint, preventing 50 residents from walking into the town which sent the crowd of residents into a rage, "What’s next? Tear gas?” shouted one resident, "it’s just like Nazi Germany, just taking orders," shouted another, "this is the reason the U.S. has the right to bear arms."
Via The Calgary Herald [4],
RCMP revealed Thursday that officers have seized a “substantial amount” of firearms from homes in the evacuated town of High River.
“We just want to make sure that all of those things are in a spot that we control, simply because of what they are,” said Sgt. Brian Topham.
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That news didn’t sit well with a crowd of frustrated residents who had planned to breach a police checkpoint northwest of the town as an evacuation order stretched into its eighth day.
“I find that absolutely incredible that they have the right to go into a person’s belongings out of their home,” said resident Brenda Lackey, after learning Mounties have been taking residents’ guns. “When people find out about this there’s going to be untold hell to pay.”
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About 30 RCMP officers set up a blockade at the checkpoint, preventing 50 residents from walking into the town. Dozens more police cars, lights on, could be seen lining streets in the town on standby.
Officers laid down a spike belt to stop anyone from attempting to drive past the blockade. That action sent the crowd of residents into a rage.
“What’s next? Tear gas?” shouted one resident.
“It’s just like Nazi Germany, just taking orders,” shouted another.
“This is the reason the U.S. has the right to bear arms,” said Charles Timpano, pointing to the group of Mounties.
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“We don’t want our town to turn into another New Orleans,” said resident Jeff Langford. “The longer that the water stays in our houses the worse it’s going to be. We’ll either be bulldozing them or burning them down because we’ve got an incompetent government.”
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“We have seized a large quantity of firearms simply because they were left by residents in their places,” said Topham.
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Residents promised to returned to the checkpoint at noon every day until they are allowed to return to their homes.