The town flooded, and the police came in, evacuated the population … and then confiscated the residents’ guns out of their empty houses.

The residents of High River, Alberta, population nearly 13,000, are still awaiting authorities’ permission to return to their homes. Dozens have been engaged in a standoff with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police at a checkpoint at the edge of town since floodwaters prompted a forced evacuation last week.

Several news sources report tensions are high since news broke police have also been gathering residents’ firearms.

“I find that absolutely incredible that they have the right to go into a person’s belongings out of their home,” resident Brenda Lackey told the Calgary Herald. “When people find out about this, there’s going to be untold hell to pay.”

“This is the reason the U.S. has the right to bear arms,” said Charles Timpano at the checkpoint, where he and…