Angry parent attacks referee from behind over the weekend.

A shameful scene has unfolded during what was a Junior D hockey game, one that has left at least one on-ice official dealing with injuries.

On Saturday, during a game in the municipality of Lac-Etchemin, Quebec, an angry parent was caught on video violently assaulting one of the officials that was overseeing the game. In the video we can clearly see the parent waiting patiently for the officials to come off the ice before he engages in what appears to be an entirely unprovoked attack on the official.

The official, who seems to have been entirely unaware of the danger, can be seen in the video being shoved hard from behind by the angry parent which sends the official crashing down to the floor.

Here is a look at one angle of the incident:

Police did respond to the incident and the person responsible for the assault was released but will have to appear in court as a result of their actions.

As for the official that was on the receiving end of the brunt of this attack, he was transported to hospital where he was treated for a shoulder injury. The severity of that injury is not known at this time, but he did seem to take a pretty hard fall given that he never saw his attacker coming.

This is a sobering reminder of the kind of abuse that officials can face, often when doing volunteer jobs, and it is part of the reason that participation in officiating has seen such a sharp decline in provinces like Quebec and Ontario especially.

I can only hope that the official who was injured will make a full and speedy recovery.