BCCLA demands RCMP retract misleading release
by British Columbia Civil Liberties Association
The
BCCLA says that a North Vancouver
woman who alleged that she was assaulted by an RCMP officer was further
victimised by an RCMP press release.
The release misstated several key facts,
including that the assault happened “during an arrest” while the officer was
“conducting a liquor act investigation.”
The officer has been charged with
assault.
According
to the woman, there was no arrest and claims of an “investigation” are false:
- She was walking on a
poorly-lit street in North
Vancouver.
- Three men in plain clothes
walking near to her asked her if she had alcohol.
- She believed they were looking
for alcohol and continued to walk, becoming frightened when the men
started following her.
- The men then claimed to be
police officers but did not show badges. She was fearful the three
men were trying to get her to stop in a poorly-lit area.
- At the time, she had a broken
arm in a sling.
- One of the men grabbed her
from behind by her broken arm. .
- In response to this assault,
she began to scream for help.
- She was then forcefully
brought to the ground by her assaulter. The action was painful,
causing further injury to her arm and prolonging the healing process
- At this point the men showed
police identification.
- She was not carrying any
alcohol and was never arrested.
After
the RCMP released their statement, the complainant retained a lawyer to
demand the press release be corrected. The RCMP did not correct the press
release, and instead posted an “update” to their website. While the original
story was sent out by the RCMP to multiple media outlets across Canada, the
“update” is only available on the RCMP website.
“Manipulating
the media to misrepresent complainants as deserving the use of force when
that is not so is very troubling,” said Robert Holmes, President of the
BCCLA. “Quietly posting an ‘update’ about a highly publicized smear of a
complainant is inadequate. Sincere apologies require at least equal
prominence and publicity as the offensive words or conduct that make the
apology necessary. The RCMP has failed to recognize that and ought to
correct that.”
Read
the original, uncorrected RCMP press release
here
>>
Read the RCMP “update”
here
>>