Video of a native chief’s violent arrest has actually shocked Canada, turning a spotlight on systemic racism in the nation’s police force.
The video footage reveals Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam being floored and repeatedly punched by a Royal Canadian Mounted Law enforcement officer.
The fight happened in Fort McMurray, Alberta, on 10 March.
Protests requiring cops reform have actually spread out throughout Canada just recently after spilling over from the US.
Although RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki initially stated she “can’t state for sure” whether systemic racism is an issue with the cops, on Friday afternoon she launched a declaration stating “systemic bigotry becomes part of every organization, the RCMP consisted of”.
” Throughout our history and today, we have actually not always treated racialised and Indigenous individuals relatively,” she wrote.
What does the video show?
Before the public release of the video footage on Thursday night, the regional RCMP department stated they had evaluated it and discovered the officer’s actions “sensible”.
The event begins when an RCMP officer approaches Mr Adam and his better half over an expired licence plate.
The nearly 12- minute long video, tape-recorded by a dashcam from the RCMP officer’s vehicle parked behind Mr Adam’s truck in a gambling establishment car park, starts with Mr Adam having a heated and profanity-laden discussion with the officer.
” I’m sick of being bugged by the RCMP,” he says.
Mr Adam and the officer continue to have a heated argument. At about the 4: 45 mark, the officer tries to jail his spouse, twisting her arm behind her back until she says: “Ow!”
The material below contains scenes some audiences might find disturbing.
That is when Mr Adam goes out once again, shouting: “Leave my better half alone!” He presses the officer away. Everybody returns in the lorry.
Backup is called, and Mr Adam gets out of the lorry. The officer begins to jail him, and Mr Adam states “don’t touch me”, utilizing a curse. That is when a 2nd officer performs at him complete speed, knocks him down, and consistently punches him while shouting: “Don’t resist.”
The incident is being investiga