Assault on guard highlights security challenges at London's central library

A violent assault that sent a security guard at London Public Library's downtown branch to the hospital has workers concerned and management moving to bring in a full-time addiction and mental health specialist to help deal with problematic patrons.

Library CEO Michael Ciccone said the guard was hurt last Monday while trying to stop a man from entering. The man now charged in the assault had been barred due to a previous incident.

"The guards tried to close the sliding glass doors to keep him out," said Ciccone. "He pushed on the door and knocked it down on top of the guard standing behind it."

Ciccone said when the guard tried to escape, he was punched and kicked in an assault that left him with a concussion and minor injuries. The guard is a 10-year employee of Allied Universal, the company contracted to provide security at the library located in Citi Plaza mall, which occupies an entire city block between Dundas and King Streets. 

"Our hearts continue to be with the valued member of the Allied Universal team, who was attacked by this repeat violent offender," said the company in a statement.

The statement said the guard is recuperating at home and "is known for his constant dedication to safeguarding all visitors to the library and demonstrating sincere compassion towards everyone and empathy towards people from all walks of life." 

The London Police Service said a 19-year-old man is charged with assault and mischief under $5,000 in relation to Monday's incident. Police say the same man also faces multiple charges in an incident that happened two days later on Dundas Street in which a man was punched, and a large rock was thrown at police during the arrest. 

Monday's incident highlights what one library employee — who spoke to CBC News on condition of anonymity to avoid being disciplined— said is a growing problem: library staff and security having to police patrons with difficult behaviours due to complex mental health and addiction issues.

As a result of last Monday's assault, public computer terminals have been removed from the main floor of the library.

The employee who spoke to CBC News said library staff, who are mostly women, are being asked to step in when problematic patrons, who are mostly men, don't follow the rules. The employee said library patrons have been verbally and physically abusive, often responding with racist remarks to staff members. The employee said some patrons engage in drug use and drug dealing in the library. 

And while security guards handle most problem patrons, it often falls on employees to police behaviours in part because the library's vast floor space is spread over three levels.  

Ciccone admits security guards at the library are challenged by difficult patrons, but said last Monday's attack is an outlier. 

"We deal with patrons who are being disruptive, occasionally violent and that's the reason we have the security force that we have," he said. "But this assault rose above that. It's a very rare occurrence where the guards are assaulted." 

He said the library has partnered with the Canadian Mental Health Association to bring in an expert in addiction and mental health to help enforce rules in a way that will be less likely to result in confrontation. The one-year pilot project will start next month. They will be on staff four days a week at the downtown library and one day at week at the Crouch branch on Hamilton Road, which has similar challenges. 

Ciccone said the problematic behaviour is worse in the winter, when people use the library as a place to get warm. He said the COVID-19 pandemic has added new potential for conflict, as library and security staff enforce masking and physical distancing rules. 

He said the size of the security detail at the downtown library has doubled in the last five years. He also said downtown libraries in other cities, including Saskatoon and Winnipeg are dealing with similar issues.

About  300 patrons have faced temporary bans for various behaviour while 38 people are permanently banned from the library.

Ciccone said despite the challenges, he believes London's downtown library remains a safe place for families. 

"We have 700,000 visitors a year," he said. "It's a small number of visitors who are causing these problems."