I'd say its a training exercise as there was next to no tactical personnel if any on board from what I could tell and no grappling hooks or ladders were even attempted to be deployed. Plus the ferrie terminal would have messaged the bridge of the ferry telling it to stop or return to terminal.
Obviously, a Nanaimoite tried to escape that terrible little town, and the locals called the RCMP to drag them kicking and screaming back to the city. It's called crab theory or crabs in a bucket mentality.