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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Police involved in bizarre standoff

Man climbs on roof to stop demolition

By: Adam Wazny

Posted: 01/25/2012 1:00 AM

Ed Ackerman is removed from the roof of a house slated for demolition on Tuesday. (BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS)

Winnipeg police were involved in a bizarre standoff Tuesday after a man climbed onto the roof of his house and allegedly threw blocks at a demolition crew.

After witnessing the demolition of one of his other properties earlier in the day, Ed Ackerman -- who has had several disagreements with the city regarding the safety of his residences -- climbed onto the roof of the house on the 400 block of Bannatyne Avenue to try to stop its destruction.

Earlier Tuesday, demolition workers tore down another derelict property Ackerman owns at 94 Frances St.

Both the Frances Street house and the Bannatyne Avenue home were slated for demolition after Ackerman failed to comply with city orders to fix up his properties.

Ackerman has long been at war with the city.

In December, Ackerman asked the court for an injunction to stop the city from tearing down the houses.

In court documents, City of Winnipeg officials said there are serious structural problems with both of the homes, and Ackerman hasn't followed any orders to bring them up to standard.

Ackerman, an artist and animator, was the owner of the famous "Alphabet House" before the city tore down the derelict structure in 2010.

Tuesday's incident began when Ackerman encountered workers from Imrie Demolition who arrived at the house around 11 a.m.

"He started throwing a couple of glass blocks at us; just missed my brother and another one of our workers," said Ward Imrie, whose family business was assigned to the demolition and knows Ackerman through previous jobs. "One (of the glass blocks) went through the machine window... so we called 'er a day."

Imrie said the glass block "just grazed" the head of his brother, Jordan, who was wearing a hard hat at the time of the incident.

"I've never seen anything quite like this before -- this is a first for me," said Jordan, who said Ackerman was about three metres away from him when the block was thrown.

City of Winnipeg workers, who were on hand to oversee the demolition, called police, who cordoned off the street.

Police called in a tactical support team and a crisis negotiator to bring the situation to a peaceful resolution.

The protest ended at about 4:15 p.m. and police charged Ackerman with assault with a weapon and mischief under $5,000.

Const. Jeffrey Norman said no one was hurt in the incident and no force was used to make the arrest. "With the assistance of the Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Service and negotiators he was removed from the roof without incident," said Norman.

"In order to come to a safe resolution, it did require several police resources but we're just happy that this did, that nobody was injured, and that due to the large amount of police resources required, that nobody went without service due to this incident," he said.

The standoff and block closure caused a significant disruption to the area.

Victoria-Albert School, which sits less than a block away from the house at the centre of it all, was noticeably quiet during the lunch hour.

A sign on the door that read "The school is in lock-up" could be seen as reporters approached the playground steps.

-- with files from Jen Skerritt and Gabrielle Giroday

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca