Assaulted city worker 'relieved' after Nenshi axes transit open houses

A city worker who was physically attacked at a public meeting is "relieved" that Mayor Naheed Nenshi has ruled out any future in-person public engagement on the project.

In a Facebook post, Emma Stevens identifies herself as the city official who was physically attacked at a hostile meeting regarding the southwest rapid-transit bus project back in October.

"I'm also the one (and certainly not the only one) that comes home late at night, physically and emotionally exhausted from the verbal abuse endured in the name of public engagement," she writes.

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A similar meeting earlier this week spun out of control, with yelling, swearing, pushing and shoving, threats of violence and even a death threat, said Nenshi after deciding all future consultation on this project will occur online.

"I am not sending city staff into an environment where they need a uniformed police officer standing next to them just to feel safe," he said. 

Nenshi only became aware of the October incident after the hostile meeting earlier this week, but said police are now investigating. 

Happens 'on too many occasions'

According to Stevens, this kind of abuse is all too common.

"I have been berated, demeaned, physically assaulted and disrespected by complete strangers on too many occasions," she said. 

Stevens has led city communications on this project and said she was "sorry for the Calgarians that now won't get the chance to provide their input in person because of the behaviour of some of their neighbours.

"But not all citizens demonstrate the respect that my colleagues and I deserve, not just as City staff trying to do a job, but as human beings," she said. 

"I love my job and I believe in public engagement. I also believe in good behaviour and being kind to one another. Let's do more of that."