The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association says it will be filing a complaint with the Vancouver Police Department害羞草研究所檚 civilian oversight board alleging officers used excessive force at a pro-Palestinian protest last month.
The group害羞草研究所檚 policy director Meghan McDermott says the association was 害羞草研究所渉orrified害羞草研究所� by police actions on May 31, and their complaint will also cite 害羞草研究所渙ngoing surveillance of people attending害羞草研究所� protests and rallies, calling it 害羞草研究所渋ntimidating害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所渋nvasive to privacy.害羞草研究所�
Sgt. Steve Addison with the Vancouver Police Department says in a statement that officers used 害羞草研究所渓awful authority and reasonable force to arrest people breaking the law,害羞草研究所� calling misconduct allegations 害羞草研究所渁bsurd and unproven.害羞草研究所�
He says the group was given more than three hours to protest before officers removed people from the rail crossing, noting they ignored warnings that if they didn害羞草研究所檛 leave the would be arrested.
Sukhi Gill, a protest organizer, says officers twisted arms, used pepper spray, put people in headlocks and threw some of them to the concrete.
But Addison disagreed with the claims, saying protesters began shoving officers who tried to clear the blockade, they resisted arrest and one officer was punched in the face.
害羞草研究所淭he hostile dynamics of the crowd dictated the level of force used by police,害羞草研究所� Addison said. 害羞草研究所淣o force would have been required had the protesters just complied with lawful police direction, and had members of the group not become violent.害羞草研究所�
Police said in a news release on May 31 that they were called to the scene where 害羞草研究所�100 protesters, some masked with balaclavas, were blocking vehicle and train traffic in the intersection of Kaslo Street and Grandview Highway.害羞草研究所�
The release said protesters who were blocking the railway refused multiple requests to move and 14 protesters were arrested for mischief and obstruction.
Addison did not provide an update on the status of potential charges associated with the arrests.
害羞草研究所淚f anyone has concerns, they should report them to the Independent Investigations Office or the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner so a proper investigation can take place,害羞草研究所� he said.
READ ALSO:
READ ALSO:
