Downtown CUPE rally in support of Western workers turns tense following altercation

There were tense moments near the end of a rally supporting striking CUPE 2361 members from Western University.

The rally was held on Wellington Street, near London City Hall, around the noon hour on Friday.

As it was wrapping up, those demonstrating marched into the intersection of Wellington Road and Dufferin Avenue.

They circled in the intersection for about ten minutes. As they headed off along the westbound lanes of Dufferin Avenue, a car came through the intersection in the eastbound lanes.

One of those involved in the rally struck the car as it passed.

The driver jumped out of the vehicle and took a swing at the person who hit the car.

The man took off on foot.

The driver jumped back in his vehicle and drove to the back of the parading union members.

London police speak with a driver whose vehicle was struck during a CUPE rally on Sept. 13, 2024. (Gerry Dewan/CTV News London)

CUPE representatives say the man who hit the car was not one of their members and some CUPE members tried to calm the driver, but he was visibly irate, abandoning his vehicle in a live lane of Dufferin Avenue as he went looking for the person who hit his car.

He followed the gathering all the way down Richmond Street toward Central Avenue, but the man he was looking for had disappeared.

London Police Service members were on hand as the driver returned to his vehicle.

At this point there's no word on whether charges will be laid for any of those involved.