Outrage after video shows Toronto cop tackling cyclist during traffic stop
A video circulating online appears to show Toronto police officers using force to stop a cyclist, knocking them off their bike after they allegedly failed to stop at a stop sign.
The incident reportedly took place on Sunday, May 31 on Queen's Quay near Little Norway Crescent and has sparked heated debate on social media.
Prominent personal injury lawyer and cycling safety advocate David Shellnutt shared the footage on Instagram after it had already gained traction on Reddit and other platforms.
Shellnutt, who has represented cyclists in Toronto for more than seven years, described the incident as "a grossly excessive use of force."
"Using force in this manner to hit a cyclist off their bike for a traffic infraction is incredibly dangerous and a possible example of excessive force," he tells blogTO.
As Shellnutt points out, officers in Ontario cannot use force when stopping someone for a routine traffic infraction unless the circumstances present an immediate and serious threat to public safety.
Toronto Police Service tells blogTO that they've received "numerous" complaints regarding cyclists failing to stop at this particular intersection, and on May 31 noticed a male cyclist who failed to stop for the clearly marked stop sign.
"The cyclist proceeded through the intersection at a high rate of speed and shouted a profanity at officers as he passed. A second officer again directed the cyclist to stop; however, the cyclist refused and attempted to flee from police," the spokesperson says.
While many Toronto residents online have criticized the officers' alleged actions, others argue the cyclist bears responsibility for allegedly failing to obey traffic laws.
"Too many cyclists run far too many stop signs. When I cycle there I see it all the time. I obey the signs. They are quite visible. This is a moment when you have to side with the police," one user commented on Shellnutt's post.
Another cyclist familiar with the area echoed the sentiment.
"Cyclists constantly run stop signs in the city. I am a cyclist myself and I see it all the time. They run stops and red lights without a care in the world," they wrote.
"Dude. Stop at the stop sign. Harmless or not, rules are rules," another user added.
While some may think that running through a stop sign is “no big deal” when it appears that no other drivers or pedestrians are near, it remains illegal under Ontario's Highway Traffic Act. Cyclists who fail to stop can be fined $85.
According to police, the cyclist was arrested and issued three provincial offence notices.
Feuds between Toronto's cycling community and police are hardly new. For years, advocates have accused Toronto police of targeting cyclists while exhibiting anti-cyclist bias.
More recently, in July 2025, a Toronto police officer allegedly injured a cyclist during an interaction before issuing them a ticket for not wearing a helmet, despite helmet use not being mandatory for adults under Ontario law.
Following this week's incident, Shellnutt and members of the cycling community continue to call on Mayor Olivia Chow and Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw to address what they describe as anti-cyclist practices within the service.
@thebikinglawyer
