Peel police have released body camera footage of a protest outside the Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton earlier this month, and say it shows an officer legally disarming a protester.

In a news release issued Thursday, police said the body camera footage was released after another video previously posted to social media showed an altercation between a police officer and a protester during the Nov. 3 protest .

Videos circulating on social media show protesters holding banners in support of Khalistan, a project for an independent Sikh homeland in northern Indiaand clashes with other individuals, some of whom were waving the Indian national flag.

“Peel Regional Police understands that the video has caused concern in the community,” the statement said. “We take all complaints regarding officer conduct seriously and have conducted a review of the incident.”

Investigators say public safety became a concern during the protest, so officers decided to seize any items that could be used as weapons.

“Following an investigation, it was determined that the officer depicted in the video was attempting to disarm an individual who refused to surrender his weapon and was aggressive, and therefore acted as part of the exercise legal status of his functions,” the statement said.

Several people were arrested and charged following the incident.

“A very rare gesture,” says Peel deputy police chief

The release of the body camera footage was a “very rare measure” but was intended to correct misinformation and narratives about potentially biased policing, Peel Deputy Police Chief Marc Andrews said Friday.

“The body-worn camera shows that the officer’s actions were justified,” he said in an interview with CBC. Metro Morning.

Andrews said community members in the area worked together “to ease some of the tension, look for ways to find common ground and move the process forward.”

He added: “This does not mean that all tensions have been removed, but that calmer heads have prevailed.”

Andrews also said Peel police continue to investigate the behavior of one of their officers, who was suspended from duty after participating in the protest.