Fireworks were used as young people battled it out in Mississauga.
Hundreds of young people took over a Mississauga park on Victoria Day to fight it out with fireworks.
According to multiple accounts, several hundred teens gathered in Port Credit Memorial Park after dark to let off fireworks before the situation escalated when they turned the explosives on each other.
Typically, Roman candles — which are outlawed in Mississauga — are the weapons of choice used during firework fights.
A Roman candle is a cylindrical firework packed with charges that shoot flaming projectiles into the air. They are meant to be placed on the ground when lit; however, their shape and size make them easy to hold and conveniently weaponize.
“I drove by the area as it was happening. It looked like a battle zone,” said one commenter on a Mississauga online forum. “There were kids running everywhere and some cops were chasing them. It was chaos. Never seen anything like this before in Port Credit.”
While there were no sanctioned firework displays in the area, witnesses said the mayhem wasn’t limited to the park, with several other similar incidents occurring along the lakefront. There were also reports of Roman candles being used in Streetsville.
READ MORE: Fire and mayhem in Brampton park ends with over a dozen arrests
Peel Regional Police have confirmed the Port Credit incidents but did not have much more to offer when asked for details by INsauga.com.
“We are aware of several incidents of fireworks in Port Credit, due to the high volume of calls spread out in the area,” a police media relations officer explained via email. “I’m unable to provide an accurate account of arrests/charges relating to fireworks discharges.”
Online commenters claimed many of those involved wore dark clothing, with some covering their faces using balaclavas.
“The cops were there, but these kids didn’t care,” another commenter said. “They outnumbered the police, who didn’t seem to be able to round up many of them.”
Under Mississauga bylaws, residents are only permitted to set off fireworks on private property between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Victoria Day. Fireworks are prohibited in parks, parking lots, streets and sidewalks, and users must be at least 18 years old to purchase, store or discharge consumer fireworks.
Retailers are also restricted to selling fireworks during the 10 days leading up to the holiday and are not permitted to sell them on Victoria Day itself.
New regulations introduced this year include fines of up to $1,000 for bylaw violations related to fireworks, while more serious incidents can also result in criminal charges.
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