American actors shocked at what Canadians were told to do during home invasion: 'Just comply'

Although the York Regional Police chief walked back his advice to “just comply” during a home invasion, the initial message was criticized by many, including by actors south of the border.

One of the American actors who commented was Kevin Sorbo, known for his role as Greek demi-God Hercules on the eponymous television show from 1995 to 1999. In a post on X on Sept. 4, he called out Chief Jim MacSween by name.

MacSween “told his citizens that ‘your best defence is to just comply,'” wrote Sorbo.

A man was just executed in front of his family during a home invasion.A 3 year-old girl was just raped by an intruder.Canadian police chief Jim MacSween told his citizens that “your best defence is to just comply.”

— Kevin Sorbo (@ksorbs) September 4, 2025

The post has been viewed nearly 7 million times and has been reposted 20,000 times as of Tuesday morning.

Dean Cain, another U.S. actor known for his role in a 1990s television show, also took to social media to highlight the differences between the advice from American and Canadian authorities. Cain played Clark Kent and Superman in the television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman from 1993 to 1997. The actor has become a vocal supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump and recently decided to join the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as an agent.

On Sept. 4, he reposted a video from a meme account on X that showed a video of a York police news conference next to a conference being held by Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd from Florida. The caption of the post reads: “Difference between being a victim (and) saving your life evidenced in this clip.”

“In the unlikely event that you find yourself the victim of a home invasion, we are urging citizens not to take matters into their own hands. While we don’t want homeowners to feel powerless, we urge you to call 911 and do everything you can to keep yourself and love ones…,” MacSween said in the first clip before it is cut off.

“Criminals are going to take their criminal conduct into the neighbourhoods,” said Judd in the next clip. “I would tell them if you value your life you probably shouldn’t do that in Polk County, because the people of Polk County like guns. They have guns. I encourage them to own guns. And they’re going to be in their homes tonight with their guns loaded and if you try to break into their homes to steal, to set fires, I’m highly recommending they blow you back out of the house with their guns.”

The repost by Cain was viewed more than 1 million times by Tuesday morning and nearly 2,000 comments had left a comment.

The actors’ posts on social media were made in reference to a news conference held on Sept. 3, when MacSween said that complying was the “best defense.” The conference was held after a fatal home invasion resulting in the shooting death of Vaughan resident Abdul Aleem Farooqi. Three suspects broke into Farooqi’s home on Aug. 31. According to police, the 46-year-old father “confronted” them while defending his family.

Also in late August, police in the Niagara region said a child under the age of five was sexually assaulted after a suspect broke into a home in Welland, in Southern Ontario.

MacSween issued a statement two days after the conference, saying he understands the reaction his advice received.

“I understand the feelings of pain and anger boiling to the surface in our community,” he said on X. “And I understand why people feel the need to fight back and dissatisfied with any direction to do otherwise.”

He said his advice had “nothing to do with politics, or with concern over force used against the perpetrators of home invasions.” Walking back his previous advice, he said that citizens should ultimately do what they deem “necessary to preserve their own safety, and the safety of their loved ones.”

Americans aren’t the only ones who have criticized the message from Canadian authorities.

“The law needs to be clear. If someone invades your home, you have the right to defend your home and your family,” said Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre in a post on X. He’s pushing to change Canadian law to allow the use of deadly force against home intruders.

Canadians do have the right to “safeguard themselves, others and their property as long as their defensive actions are reasonable and proportional to the circumstances,” according to Calgary-based criminal law firm Dunn and Associates.

“However, since both of those terms are subjective,” the firm explains in a post online , “it is often unclear what is reasonable and proportional when it comes to self-defence.”

There has been pushback to Poilievre’s message from Liberal justice minister Sean Fraser.

“This isn’t the Wild West. It’s Canada. Canadians deserve real solutions that make us safer, not slogans that inspire fear and chaos for Pierre’s political survival,” he wrote on X .

• Poilievre pushes law change to allow deadly force against home intruders
• Police say Vaughan father shot dead after he 'confronted' intruders as brother says family is 'shattered'

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