A man participating in a climate change protest says he was shoved to the ground and injured outside Conservative candidate Michael Skinner's campaign office Wednesday.

Sean Paul Cowling, who described himself as a community organizer, says he hurt his wrist and his shoulder when he hit the sidewalk after a man allegedly shoved him.

"We are pretty peaceful people here — just showing our signs," Cowling said.

City police were on the scene and investigated the incident.

Cowling was one of about 25 people who'd gathered to walk alongside climate change activist Ann Cognito. She is walking from her home in Calgary to Ottawa to ask the federal government to reduce carbon emissions in Canada to net zero by 2025. Her campaign is called Walk To Wake The Nation.

Cognito was passing through Peterborough, and Cowling said he and other local people joined her for a rally at Confederation Square.

Then the group proceeded on foot to all the local candidates' campaign offices downtown, wanting to speak to candidates one by one about climate change.

First they spoke to Green candidate Andrew MacGregor at his office on George Street. Then they went to NDP candidate Candace Shaw's office, but Shaw wasn't in.

They went next to Liberal candidate Maryam Monsef's office at George Street and King Street — a few doors east of Skinner's office — and Monsef came outside to talk.

When they moved on toward Skinner's office, there were a few people gathered outside on the sidewalk already. Cowling asked one man standing in front of Skinner's doorway if he was a security guard, but the man didn't respond, Cowling said.

Cowling said he then opened the office door a few inches and propped it open with his foot, so anyone inside could hear the remarks that one of the protesters was delivering about climate change.

At that point, the door opened all the way and the man he'd spoken to shoved Cowling to the ground.

After standing up, Cowling applied a cold-pack to his wrist and said he might need to seek medical attention later. He was wearing a Green party button and said he had done some consulting work for the Greens in the past.

Police were already on the scene because they had been following the protesters from stop to stop downtown.

"They (police) were general surveillance," Cowling said.

Skinner arrived at the scene later, as the group dispersed. He said he'd been away from the office at the time of the incident and didn't know what had occurred.

"I haven't had the opportunity to speak to the team," he said, when approached on his way into the office.

Skinner later emailed a statement to The Examiner: "Earlier this afternoon, a group of demonstrators marched from Confederation Square, stopping in front of at least two local campaign offices. I was out of the office, however I now understand from my volunteer office manager that one of the protesters may have been aggressive toward our campaign volunteers. The Peterborough Police have taken statements, and I am waiting for more information. The volunteer involved has stepped away from the campaign until the matter is resolved."

joelle.kovach@peterboroughdaily.com

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CLARIFICATION: The Peterborough-Kawartha Green Party of Ontario and Green Party of Canada report that Sean Cowling has not provided consulting work to any local Green riding associations.