Tag Archives: Police Brutality

Justice

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip: Why the RCMP must be accountable

It has been a week since the Federal Court of Canada condemned RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki for her failure to respond to the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission (CRCC). The case revolved around an interim report from 2017, but in her Judgement and Reasons Associate Chief Justice Jocelyne Gagné pointed to numerous other cases where the RCMP had acted in the same manner. 

“It is in the public interest to have a police oversight institution that functions properly and is unobstructed.” she wrote.

One of the organizations applauding the Court’s Decision to hold the police accountable is the Union of BC Indian Chiefs.

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Energy, Indigenous Nations, Justice

After arrests at Coastal GasLink blockade allegations of RCMP mistreatment grow

By John Woodside,  National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

More land defenders are alleging mistreatment while in RCMP custody after being arrested on unceded Wet’suwet’en territory, as the police continue to enforce an injunction granted to Coastal GasLink.

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Forests, Indigenous Nations, Justice

Update From Fairy Creek: interview with Kathleen Code

[Kathleen Code is is a spokesperson for the Rainforest Flying Squad and other land defenders attempting to protect old growth areas at Fairy Creek. She founded the legal team, and is also a member of their media team. Since joining the effort in August, 2020, she’s worked closely with elder Bill Jones to understand the situation of the Pacheedaht First Nation, in particular their interactions with industrial forest company Teal Jones and the NDP government. I interviewed Kathy on December 3rd 2021, asking her for an update to round out the “Cortes At Fairy Creek” story. This is a lightly edited transcript of that interview.]

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Indigenous Nations, Justice

Emergency motion to de-escalate RCMP tactics against land defenders gives way to Wet’suwet’en ‘internal dispute’

By Shari Narine, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com

An emergency resolution calling for “de-militarizing” RCMP from using force against defenders of traditional lands was withdrawn at the Assembly of First Nations gathering because chiefs felt uncomfortable wading into the struggles between hereditary chiefs and elected chiefs in Wet’suwet’en territory.

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Indigenous Nations, Justice

Northwest B.C. MLA calls on RCMP commissioner to review pipeline opponents’ arrests in Hazelton

Terrace Standard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Stikine MLA Nathan Cullen has called on RCMP commissioner Brenda Lucki to review police action in the arrest of two of his constituency members in northwest B.C. in November.

In the letter sent to the RCMP top cop in Ottawa, Cullen asked about the RCMP’s “enforcement behaviour” while referring to a “disturbing” video in which two young men were arrested with “undue force” last month near the New Hazelton rail tracks.

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