Category Archives: Justice

Indigenous Nations, Justice

Advocates question RCMP’s role in recent deaths of Indigenous peoples

By Philip McLachlan,  The Discourse, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Content warning: This story mentions self-harm and police response to a distress call, as well as content about police violence against Indigenous people. Please read with care.

Advocates are demanding a public inquiry following the death of a Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN) man who died after RCMP were called to his home — the latest plea for systemic reform to a police force which one chief says has an “inherent bloodlust against people of colour.”

Rojun Alphonse’s family called officers to his apartment early in the morning on July 10 because they were concerned that he was going to harm himself — but instead of calming the man in distress, the RCMP showed up to “terrorize” Alphonse with tear gas, automatic weapons, body armour and armed vehicles, said WLFN Chief Willie Sellars.

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Justice

Unsolved cases on Quadra Island: linens and money theft, vandalism and stolen boats

By Greg Osoba, CKTZ News, through an LJI grant from Canada-info.ca

On Quadra Island,  police are seeking leads on two unsolved crimes.

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Justice

A Policeman’s Perspective: Violent Crimes in Campbell River

There has been an increase in the number of violent crimes reported in Campbell River.

According to Cst. Maury Tyre, “For the last three or four years,  we have seen a general spike in ‘calls for service’ in Campbell River. One of those years actually saw roughly a 12% increase. A lot of those increases are based on things like calls for service, checking wellbeing, and things like that. But effectively, when there is an increase in calls for service, you’re also going to have an increase in violence.”

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Justice

One-on-one with the leader of a special RCMP unit tasked with policing opposition to industrial projects in B.C.

By Matt Simmons, The Narwhal, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

“Beyond troubling” is how John Brewer, chief superintendent and gold commander of the RCMP’s controversial  Community-Industry Response Group (C-IRG), described the conduct of some  of his officers after reviewing audio recorded in the minutes following police arrests of land defenders and journalists in November. 

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Forests, Justice

Save Old Growth protester shatters hip during blockade

National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A young man who fell from a ladder after it toppled during a protest against old-growth logging on a Vancouver Island highway was undergoing surgery for a shattered hip Tuesday afternoon.

Protester Trevor Mckelvie fell about 20 feet to the pavement when the ladder he was balanced on collapsed not long after an angry motorist, held up by the blockade on the Patricia Bay Highway, broke pieces off a support structure Monday morning.

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