Arkells asks for illegal drone footage captured at Winnipeg Burt Block Party concert

The Arkells are knocking at the door of the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS), asking for drone footage captured during a performance Friday night.

In a video posted to the Canadian band’s TikTok page, lead singer Max Kerman said he saw the drone flying closer while they were on stage headlining the Burt Block Party.

“I figured I just missed the memo that the festival was operating a drone,” he said.

“Throughout the show, I sort of developed a relationship with the drone,” Kerman continued. “And I’d signal it to come closer and then I sort of pushed it away, and they would act accordingly. I was having a great time.”

However, Kerman said he later discovered the drone was being illegally operated.

In Winnipeg, private drone use is prohibited over crowds. They must be operated away from bystanders, emergency operations and advertised events. Operators who do not comply with the regulations could face fines.

Kerman added that the band believed the drone operator was arrested, and they have asked WPS for the footage.

“It looked like it was gonna be kind of cool,” he said in the video. “I don’t know what the protocol is with how much time he has to spend in the slammer, but we’re hoping you’re lenient with him and you can get us the hard drive.”

According to WPS, it’s a shot in the dark.

A police spokesperson told CTV News officers located the unauthorized drone operator at the event, but didn’t arrest them. Police spoke to individual, who was cooperative, and sent them on their way.

The drone, nor the footage, were recovered by WPS, the spokesperson said.

CTV News has reached out to the Arkells’ management team for comment.