Police watchdog clears officer who tackled Toronto cyclist after ignoring stop sign

CANADA Police watchdog clears officer who tackled Toronto cyclist after ignoring stop sign By Isaac Callan Global News Posted September 23, 2026 2:40 pm 1 min read RELATED: Video footage of police arresting a cyclist is making its round on social media after a bike lawyer criticized officers for allegedly using excessive force during the arrest. Victoria Femia reports – Jun 2, 2026 LEAVE A COMMENT SHARE THIS ITEM ON FACEBOOK SHARE THIS ITEM ON X SEND THIS PAGE TO SOMEONE VIA EMAIL SEE MORE SHARING OPTIONS DESCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE INCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE Ontario’s police watchdog has cleared the Toronto officer who tackled a cyclist to the ground after they blew past a stop sign, revealing the cyclist suffered a “mild traumatic brain injury” during the altercation. In late May, as Toronto police officers were handing out tickets to cyclists who failed to stop by Little Norway Park, near Bathurst Street and Queens Quay, one cyclist was tackled by police after he failed to stop. A video of the arrest circulated online, appearing to show the cyclist tackled to the ground and then restrained by multiple officers. In the video, he complains he was in pain. Get daily Montreal news Get daily Montreal news delivered to your inbox so you'll never miss the day's top stories. SIGN UP FOR DAILY MONTREAL NEWSLETTER GET STARTED BY PROVIDING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, YOU HAVE READ AND AGREE TO GLOBAL NEWS' TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY. At the time, cycling lawyer Dave Shellnutt said, “You are not supposed to use force” when giving out Highway Traffic Act tickets. But several months later, the director of the Special Investigation Unit said the 21-year-old cyclist “attempted to evade the officer by cycling around him” and “rendered himself subject to arrest.” MORE ON CANADA MORE VIDEOS As Trump mulls diesel export ban, what would it mean for Canada? Canada’s population growth continues its decline, StatCan says Doctors urge women to remove fallopian tubes to reduce ovarian cancer risk Woman charged after suspected fatal impaired-driving crash in Ottawa STORY CONTINUES BELOW ADVERTISEMENT The investigation couldn’t conclude whether an officer tried to grab the man’s backpack or pushed him off his bike, adding that the cyclist had slowed down. “(The investigation) found that the risk of injury was moderate as the man had significantly slowed when the officer stepped out in front of him and wrestled the man to the ground,” a news release from the SIU…