KITCHENER -- A video that appears to show a man with a service dog being forcibly removed from a Kitchener restaurant is now at the centre of a police investigation.

This is another example of the mistreatment of people with service dogs or Emotional support dogs being discriminated against in establishments such as restaurants like this one.

And it needs to stop and the owners be charged criminally and be held accountable for their actions.

“It still feels rather surreal,” said Justin Leckie. “I never thought I would have to go through something like that.”

He said he was wrongfully removed from Milton’s Restaurant, along with his service dog Epi, around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

“I resisted because I said ‘No, I haven’t done anything wrong.’”

Leckie said he was seated when two men approached him, demanding to see his service dog’s certification.

“I don’t just show my papers to anybody,” said Leckie. “She helps me with general anxiety, panic attacks, depression, that type of thing.”

According to the Ontario government’s website, guide dogs and service animals must be allowed to stay with their owners in restaurants, grocery stores, and taxis.

He said that despite holding the papers in his hand, he was told to leave and that he was trespassing by a man who he says later identified himself as the owner of the restaurant.

“They weren’t having any of it,” he said. “They said if you don’t get up right now we’re dragging you out right now. And they did.”

Alex Roy and Trinity Wojcik captured the altercation, which lasted more than four minutes, on video.

“As soon as they started to grab his jacket and his coat, put his hands on him, that’s when we started videotaping,” says Wojcik.

Waterloo Regional Police are investigating after the physical incident led to patrons calling 911.

Friends are expressing shock after a violinist with the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra and his service dog were forcibly kicked out of a Kitchener restaurant Wednesday — an incident captured on video.

The four-and-a-half minute recording shows a physical and verbal altercation between Leckie, who says he has a service dog with him, and two other men who repeatedly order him to leave.

“He asked you to leave 100 times buddy,” one man says as the dispute became physical.

“I didn’t do anything wrong. I have a service dog,” the man pleads, as he refuses to leave.

At one point in the video, two men appear to grab Leckie by his legs as he was lying on the ground screaming at them.

“Stop touching him,” one woman in the restaurant said. “Don’t do that.”

“Stop touching him. Leave him alone,” she said a few seconds later.

Police say the investigation is continuing.

“It is a very open and on-going investigation and we are speaking to all the parties involved,” Greeno said.

The website for the Milton’s restaurant has been disabled.

Calls to its number appear to show it disconnected.

Help me spread awareness of this discrimination against people with service dogs/emotional support dogs and advocate for the punishment of this restaurant owners.