BRACEBRIDGE - Local police say they can’t comment on allegations of police brutality made on social media.

“I’m not in a position to comment on a Facebook post,” said Bracebridge OPP detachment commander Insp. Ed Medved.

A post made on the Facebook page Let’s Make Bracebridge Great Again on July 1 alleging officers assaulted a man out walking his dog in Bracebridge, along with photos of severe facial injuries the post claimed he sustained in the attack, has drawn a flurry of comments from supporters and skeptics alike. The post, which had been deleted from the page multiple times, was visible July 2 but has since been removed.

Medved said on July 2 that he was unaware of an accusation of police brutality made on the social media site, but in general terms stated, “We’re not in the business of brutalizing the public. We’re in the business of protecting the public.”

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Medved said due to the serious nature of the allegations, he would encourage those involved to file a formal complaint.

In an email to this paper on July 1, a woman identifying herself as the niece of the victim claimed on June 30 her uncle was walking his chihuahua when he was assaulted by Bracebridge OPP officers who were shouting homophobic slurs before smashing the man’s face off their cruiser and dragging him along the pavement, leaving scratches and dents embedded into the metal jewelry he was wearing as well as causing injuries to his face. She said her uncle’s dog was then dropped off at another relative’s home just after 2 a.m. None of this information could be confirmed because attempts to contact her via the same email account the next morning went unanswered despite her previous offer of further information.

In the meantime, the Facebook post instigated dozens of comments with many taking sides.

“Society has brainwashed us to think that if anyone gets hurt while in police presence that police had something to do with it,” wrote one Facebook commenter.

Some commenters questioned who witnessed the attack and what proof was available outside of the photos of injuries, which they said could have resulted from any number of scenarios, while acquaintances of the alleged victim were quick to come to his defence.

“I spend a lot of time with this man and his family. He would never do something to warrant this kind of treatment,” read one post.