A community information session about gang activity in Saskatoon's Pleasant Hill neighbourhood was cancelled last week after threats of potential violence hours before the event was set to start.
The "Learning About Gangs" presentation, scheduled for January 22 at St. Mary's School, was meant to feature the Saskatoon Police Service's (SPS) Guns and Gangs Unit sharing information about gang recruitment with parents and youth workers.
SPS withdrew their participation when they learned the event would be open to the general public, citing concerns about revealing sensitive investigative details.
The Pleasant Hill Community Association then cancelled the session entirely due to violence threats received shortly before the scheduled start time.
"The priority of the Pleasant Hill Community Association is the safety of everyone in our community," said the organizers in a statement posted to its Facebook page.
The association has already reached out to STR8 UP, an organization supporting former gang members, to deliver a future presentation on the topic.
"We have heard how important this topic is to our community," said the association, adding they had originally invited STR8 UP to participate in the January event to help start a community conversation about increased gang activity.