North Vancouver RCMP face social media backlash after teen arrested in McDonald’s

North Vancouver RCMP are getting backlash on social media after a group of teenagers caused a commotion at a McDonald’s on Tuesday.

The incident happened along Marine Drive after officers were called for reports of 10 to 12 teens swearing and yelling at staff and making a mess.

But after one teen was arrested, a group on social media claims police were called to the wrong group of teens.

In videos posted by the social media account Black Vancouver, one teen is heard to be repeatedly asking, “What are you doing to her? She didn’t do anything? Why are you arresting her?”

The group says that the 14-year-old’s head was also slammed into a pop machine by police, and was arrested after asking to use the washroom.

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But in a statement from Mounties, it says the videos only show part of the interaction.

“When our officers arrived, the teens turned their attention to the officers and continued yelling and swearing and refusing to leave so officers asked them to leave and they wouldn’t,” Sgt. Peter DeVries said.

“One of the teens kicked one of the officers repeatedly, that teenager was arrested for assaulting a police officer causing a disturbance, mischief, and also obstructing a police officer, and a number of the other youths there as well obstructed the officers as they attempted to identify these teenagers.”

DeVries asks people not to jump to conclusions about the incident.

“We have been able to get the full surveillance video from the restaurant. It does tell the rest of the story, and one of the things that we ask the public to do is to really in these situations to withhold jumping to conclusions,” he added.

The Youth Support Unit with the RCMP is working in partnership with the North Shore Restorative Justice, to help work with the families and teens following the incident.