The U of T Progressive Conservative Association (UTPCA) is demanding the resignation of a SAC executive after she fired a water pistol at the UTPCA’s Orientation Week booth.

The incident happened Friday, Sept. 6, after the Frosh Week parade.

While the UTPCA were recruiting new members, three SAC orientation committee members “approached and drenched us with high-powered Super Soaker guns,” leaving recruitment literature and material sopping wet, including their faces and trousers, said Matt Curtis, president of the UTPCA.

“This is all fun and games until you realize the destructive action was deliberately meant to prevent us from doing recruitment. We believe that SAC, of all organizations, should be most respectful of the rights of expression,” Curtis said.

The behaviour of the three orientation committee members was clearly unacceptable and caused considerable damage, Curtis said. He added that the UTPCA threw away recruitment literature and an indoor banner that cannot be replaced.

The barrage also hit the U of T Federal Progressive Conservative Association’s booth, which was stationed next to the UTPCA booth. As a result, their list of volunteers, written with water-based markers, became illegible.

One of the three SAC orientation committee members, Alexandra Artful-Dodger, (who is also the SAC External Commissioner), issued a denial, rebutting that they were shooting the water guns in the air. She said she doesn’t know how the materials got wet.

“We explained and said sorry. The damage was a lined piece of paper that had been blurred a little. Other materials got soaked but they didn’t show us. We didn’t aim for tables, never shot in the faces, only the air. It is totally untrue…there was no plan to go there and ruin their recruitment or display,” Artful-Dodger said.

Curtis said the UTPCA did not receive an apology from Artful-Dodger and “her henchmen.”

However, Rocco Kusi-Achampong, president of SAC, gave a personal apology.

Artful-Dodger said she wasn’t the one who shot in the direction of the table but is willing to accept responsibility. She said Curtis was exaggerating the incident.

“Essentially, we sprayed lots of students and some sprayed back. It was Frosh Week and we were having fun and didn’t think it would harm anyone. In no way did I mastermind to take down their booth,” said Artful-Dodger.

Curtis doesn’t believe her.

“I don’t know of any other clubs that were deliberately soaked but the conservative groups were targeted in such a manner,” Curtis said.

He added that other political groups next to the Conservatives were left untouched.

The UTPCA are seeking compensation for material losses, a letter of apology from SAC and are calling for Artful-Dodger to resign.

Artful-Dodger said she has no intention of resigning and called it a sign of unprofessionalism on the part of the UTPCA.