Photograph of police officer in wrestling mask leads to investigation

Sherbrooke police are investigating after an officer was photographed inside a cruiser wearing a wrestling mask during a protest over the weekend.

The officer was pictured Saturday wearing the colourful Mexican-style wrestling mask while people gathered to protest the province’s new mandatory indoor mask-wearing order.

Saturday was the first day anyone 12 years and older had to cover their face in all indoor public places in the province.

Police in Sherbrooke, located about 150 kilometres east of Montreal, haven’t yet been able to identify the officer in the photo, spokesman Samuel Ducharme said Monday. He added the investigation will probably take a couple of weeks to complete.

“We’re pretty sure it was an officer,” Ducharme said. “If we didn’t think it was an officer, we wouldn’t have launched a disciplinary investigation.”

The photo from Saturday’s protest in front of Sherbrooke City Hall has been shared widely on social media.

Sherbrooke Mayor Steve Lussier said in a statement he’s aware of the incident.

“A disciplinary investigation was immediately launched by the police to shed light on Saturday’s events,” he said. “I won’t issue any comment so I won’t affect the process that is taking place.”

Protests in opposition to the mask rule have taken place across the province. People gathered Saturday in St- Georges, in the Beauce region south of Quebec City, and several dozen people protested Sunday in front of Premier François Legault’s office in Montreal.