TORONTO — Anaïs Bussières McNicoll, Director of the Fundamental Freedoms Program of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, made the following statement:
It has been reported that, in the early morning of May 11, 2024, the Edmonton police used force to dismantle an allegedly peaceful encampment located on the University of Alberta’s campus as part of a student protest movement.
Based on published pictures, video recordings and eye-witnesses accounts, it appears that officers struck several demonstrators with batons and used tear gas as well as non-lethal rounds in the context of their intervention. Though police reported no injuries, the organizing student group stated that four protestors were injured to various degrees, with one reportedly sent to the hospital after being found on the ground near the campus.
These are serious allegations.
In the absence of a threat to the physical safety of individuals, it was the police’s duty to respect protesters’ freedom of expression and freedom to protest. Strong protections for these fundamental freedoms are essential in our democracy. Protests, and especially student activism, have been instrumental in securing rights related to various issues from lower tuition fees to climate change. Think for example of Québec’s 2012 Student Strike, which culminated in the government halting tuition increases.[1] Similarly, Divest Canada Coalition, a coalition of 30 student groups from institutions across Canada calling for divestment from fossil fuels, have organized protests that have resulted in several full or partial divestments by universities.[2]
Even if one does not align with a specific protest, it is imperative we recognize that protests serve as a vital tool in safeguarding democracy and securing freedom for everyone. Similarly, supporting expressive freedom should not imply support for – or criticism of – the underlying cause or opinion being expressed.
The reported actions of the Edmonton police towards what was allegedly a peaceful protest raise serious concerns and questions. That is why we have written today to the Edmonton Police Commission to demand that an independent, thorough and transparent investigation into the conduct of the Edmonton police in the early morning of May 11, 2024 be conducted without delay.
It is crucial that such investigation be conducted to shed light on the reasons why the Edmonton police felt entitled to shut down a peaceful protest and why such intervention escalated to the use of force that reportedly left some protestors injured.
[1] https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/quebec-student-protest-of-2012.
[2] https://www.divestcanada.ca/successes/.
The CCLA is an independent, non-profit organization with supporters from across the country. Founded in 1964, the CCLA is a national human rights organization committed to defending the rights, dignity, safety, and freedoms of all people in Canada.
media@ccla.org
About the Canadian Civil Liberties Association
The CCLA is an independent, non-profit organization with supporters from across the country. Founded in 1964, the CCLA is a national human rights organization committed to defending the rights, dignity, safety, and freedoms of all people in Canada.
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