SLAPPED: Kamloops mayor alleges assault by journalist

On a hot Wednesday afternoon, the lunch crowd at Bailey’s Pub in Kamloops are unaware of the alleged assault that took place just days earlier.

The North Kamloops bar is open as normal with no police tape at the scene nor evidence of the crime, but the city’s mayor said it’s the place he was assaulted by a local journalist.

Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson said he didn’t see it coming and had his back turned when it happened: a hand came down to his back, followed by an insincere wish that he “have a nice night.”

“I was shocked. I just turned and looked,” Hamer-Jackson said, who had no reply to offer Castanet Kamloops editor Tim Petruk as he left the bar.

Hamer-Jackson contacted police to spur an investigation into the alleged assault, which left him with no injuries — so far.

“My back was hurting before and it is hurting a bit, but it’s more of an ache thing. I’m not thinking it’s a bodily injury, but it definitely wasn’t a nice hit,” he said, adding that his back pain could “get worse.”

Hamer-Jackson was at the pub after a baseball game on June 28. Petruk was also there, but the mayor said he ignored the journalist throughout the evening. Around 10 p.m., he said Petruk slapped him on the back and said have a good night. The surprised mayor turned, but said nothing as Petruk left the pub.

Petruk denies it was an assault at all.

“No assault took place. I patted the mayor on the shoulder while saying goodbye. I’m sure the pub has cameras showing exactly what happened,” he said in a written statement.

Pub owner Brandon Coyle said he hasn’t seen the video footage and he wasn’t there on the night of the incident. He said he would only reveal recording to police if they come asking. He wouldn’t share it with iNFOnews.ca and police haven’t reached out for the video evidence as of July 2.

Was it a blatant assault against an elected official or is the complaint an attempt to silence a journalist? Petruk suggests it’s the latter.

“I have not heard anything from the police, only from reporters the mayor has been tipping off. Let’s call this what it is — the mayor is trying to use the city’s police to harass a journalist following coverage critical of his actions,” he said.

Hamer-Jackson makes no secret of his issues with Petruk, as the controversial mayor accused him of biased reporting and insulting him in the years since he was elected.

Petruk, meanwhile, said it’s a waste of taxpayer resources as the mayor enlists police to investigate another of his “petty grievances.”