Victoria police arrest youths amid weekend crackdown in downtown core
Victoria police say they arrested six youths on Friday night and two on Saturday as the force aims to crack down on teens behaving badly.
VicPD social media channels show most of the arrests were for vandalism and intoxication.
Victoria police say downtown businesses have noticed a stark increase in crimes committed by young people in the downtown core over the past month.
Including this weekend, Victoria police say they have investigated over 30 such crimes. They span from public intoxication to serious assaults, including one where a senior was reportedly swarmed and beaten by a large group of youngsters.
Police say this weekend represented a decrease in calls from the three weekends before it, but still continued the trend.
VicPD spokesperson Bowen Osoko says officers took time to speak with teens over the past several days and asked them why they were descending on the core en masse.
“One of them, who was from outside of Victoria from one of the surrounding municipalities, indicated over the past couple of years they have really been pent up inside and haven’t really had a chance to socialize,” said Osoko.
Officers were also told that many activities young people took part in remain shut down during the pandemic.
VicPD is now planning to meet with Greater Victoria School District officials to discuss the issues young people are causing downtown.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada pledges funds as G7 develops response to famine fallout from Russian invasion
Canada pledged $50 million to prevent Ukrainian grain from going to waste on Sunday as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau committed to work with G7 nations on further measures to halt the famine caused by the Russian invasion of the embattled country.

Connecting Indigenous inmates to their culture: Grand Chief performs at Manitoba prison
Behind prison walls, National Indigenous People's Day was celebrated this month, with inmates at a Manitoba federal prison granted access to music, drumming and sharing circles — positive steps forward to reconnect Indigenous inmates with their culture and rehabilitate a group that is incarcerated at a disproportionate rate.
Hundreds of thousands celebrate return of Toronto Pride parade to downtown streets
Hundreds of thousands of people lined the streets of downtown Toronto on Sunday as the city's Pride parade returned for the first time in two years.
BREAKING | Colorado Avalanche win Stanley Cup, beat Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game 6
Colorado Avalanche win the 2022 Stanley Cup, beating two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game 6.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine a 'turning point' in world history: defence chief
Canada's chief of defence says Russia's invasion of Ukraine is going to change the course of history.
Halifax scientists have a plan to capture carbon from the atmosphere using mining materials
A Dalhousie University team of scientists — in a joint venture with a company called Planetary Technologies — is now in the next phase of their research to use the power of the ocean to one day reduce the world’s carbon levels.
U.S. Ambassador Cohen on inflation, the convoy protests, abortion rights and gun control
David Cohen has been the United States' Ambassador to Canada since November 2021, and in the time since, both Canada and the United States have experienced a series of shared challenges. In an interview at his official residence in Ottawa, Cohen opens up about the state of the relationship.
Trump's lasting legacy grows as U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe
The abortion decision in the U.S. marked the apex in a week that reinforced former U.S. President Donald Trump's ongoing impact in Washington more than a year and a half after he exited the White House.
Trudeau mocks 'bare-chested horseback riding' Putin as G7 leaders meet in Germany
Russian President Valdimir Putin was a target of mockery by leaders of the Group of Seven, as they sat around a table Sunday, commencing their three-day summit in Bavarian Alps, Germany.