Chainsaw-wielding men covered in blood arrested on Toronto beach

Two men have been arrested after appearing on a Canadian beach spattered in blood and wielding chainsaws.

Witnesses alleged that they menaced and “charged” at various people gathered at Toronto‘s Cherry Beach on Sunday morning, before police quickly intervened, responding to reports of a large fight.

Police said they are believed to have returned with the power tools following an altercation with a large group at an overnight gathering on the beach. The gatherings have become weekly occurrences during the coronavirus pandemic and are thought to be frequented by protestors against face coverings and lockdown measures.

Footage showed the two men covered in blood from apparent head wounds, wielding the running saws and shouting “who hit me”.

“It is alleged that two men involved in the original altercation suffered injuries. They then left and returned with weapons,” Toronto Police Service told news channel CityNews in a statement.

Officers were filmed arresting the two men, handcuffing them as they lay on the ground.

They have not yet revealed the identities of the two men or what charges they face.

Witnesses alleged that the men used the equipment to destroy DJ equipment set up at the beach.

Meanwhile, Toronto’s mayor said the city will be keeping “a very careful eye” on gatherings at the beach, which he linked to anti-lockdown protests.

“There is a protest that seems to happen weekly at Queen’s Park and it seems, according to the information that has been given to me, a number of the very same people then end up at Cherry Beach having some sort of a gathering,” Mr Tory told reporters on Monday.

“Clearly an incident like this would cause us to want to keep a very careful eye on both these gatherings themselves, because gatherings beyond certain numbers and at certain times ... are regulated at this moment in time and also ones that scare or otherwise disturb people, we want to keep an eye on as well.”