Large beach brawl at Sherkston Shores in Port Colborne getting police attention

Niagara Regional Police have made one arrest in wake of a large beach brawl at Sherkston Shores in Port Colborne Saturday evening.

Due to the size of the fight, Niagara Regional Police officers from Port Colborne and Fort Erie attended the scene at about 7:20 p.m., where there were several hundred people," Const. Phil Gavin said.

The fight had been broken up by the time police arrived. Officers received reports of people being struck in the head with beer bottles, Gavin said.

In a video of the incident, a man is shown throwing a beer bottle at another man before he was tackled to the ground by another person.

A man is also seen with blood pouring from his head while sitting in the sand.

Many in the crowd didn't wish to co-operate and speak with our officers," Gavin said of eyewitnesses.

A 24-year-old man from Niagara Falls was located on site with minor injuries. Police determined he was not a registered guest of the property. He was charged with being intoxicated in a public place, enter premises when entry prohibited, and engage in prohibited activity on premises.

Gavin said his name is not being released because he is accused of provincial offences, not criminal ones.

Anyone with information about others involved in the incident are being asked by police to contact the NRP.

The violent incident involved people who were not invited guests of residents, the resort's general manager, Tony Breton, said.

Unfortunately, a small group of people trespassed onto Sherkston Shores property from Pleasant Beach Road access. Shortly after, there was an altercation within the group and NRP was called," Breton said in an email Monday.

The private campground's waterfront used to be separated from the nearby public beach with barriers, but storms washed them away last fall. He said a contractor will be rebuilding a fence line in the area shortly."

Breton said beachgoers and legal guests of the park on its opening weekend did a great job following provincial guidelines."

The park is open with limited amenities. Only overnight reservations for cottage rentals are being accepted, as well as seasonal residents.

Rentals of tent and recreational vehicle sites, as well as rustic cabins are not available currently.

Transient RVs will be accepted starting Friday, Breton explained.

Seasonal residents were given the green light to welcome guests as of last Friday when Niagara entered phase two of reopening, as long as provincial guidelines are met, said Breton.

A maximum of eight people are allowed at each site and renters are not allowed to bring in guests currently, said Breton.

Burlington resident Kevin Bousquet, a guest of seasonal residents, said he witnessed the aftermath" of the incident and tried to offer an injured man who had scrapes and bruises from breaking up the fight use of his first-aid kit, but the man declined the offer.

He said it appeared 10 to 15 people were involved in the violence.

Bousquet witnessed the arrest made by police.

He was very mouthy and very standoffish," he said about the person taken in by police.

Bousquet said it was a busy day with more than 100 people at the beach and there were children present during the time of the incident.

Asked about whether physical distancing was being practised, he said he didn't see any blatant disregard for the rules.

Whether it was more than 10 (in groups), it's hard to say."

Kris Dube is a St. Catharines-based reporter for the Welland Tribune. Reach him via email: kris.dube@niagaradailies.com