Harm reduction group alleges excessive force by Edmonton police officers
Warning: This story contains imagery that may be disturbing to some viewers.
A local harm reduction group says force used by Edmonton police officers during a recent arrest on Whyte Avenue on Sunday was "appalling."
HARES Outreach provides food, water, clothing and harm reduction supplies to vulnerable people and raises money for mutual aid requests.
On Thursday, the organization released a video and statement of the March 26 arrest, which they claim shows the violence the unhoused community faces from police and demonstrates a need for "a more robust response to inappropriate use of control tactics."
The video shows a handcuffed person being walked to a police vehicle. The person kicks their leg out toward one officer, who slams them into the concrete. Blood is visible on the sidewalk beneath the person's face. They remain conscious.
A portion of the video was cut out to exclude the person's name, HARES said. HARES also blurred their face.
"The officer is far bigger than the person, they've already cuffed this individual and they responded to an ineffectual kick by slamming someone headfirst into concrete and it's just totally appalling the amount of force used in response to that," HARES said.
Leading up to the video, HARES said members conducting outreach in the area noticed a person in distress in the area of 83 Avenue and 103 Street around 1:40 p.m.
According to HARES, first responders tried to talk with the person who did not seem to want intervention and were "verbally aggressive."
The person, the organization added, is known in the community and “was rude but demonstrated no desire to hurt anyone and only wished to be left alone.”
“At this time, there were approximately 30 community members, four HARES volunteers and seven first-year medical students who were visiting our outreach program as part of their inner-city health elective who had witnessed this person in distress,” HARES said in a Thursday press release. “No one was afraid of them, or felt in any way endangered.”
HARES said one of its members began filming the interaction after two police officers arrived and subdued the person with a stun gun and arrested them.
"We are sharing this video as we believe it is important for people to see what kind of violence our unhoused neighbours endure when encountering police,” HARES said. “In our conversations with workers and volunteers in the sector as well as unhoused neighbours, this kind of violence is worryingly common.
“Calls for help escalate into potentially life-changing injuries without clear provocation, and people who are in distress become criminalized or brutalized instead of receiving the care they need.”
The video appears to show emergency personnel sedating the person and bandaging them before taking them away in an ambulance.
The organization said it is "investigating making a formal complaint but have not begun the process at this time."
EPS REACTION
The Edmonton Police Service said that two officers were called to the area to assist emergency responders with "an erratic person."
EPS said the person was reportedly "acting aggressively towards first responders and other people on scene."
When officers arrived, EPS said they were able to arrest the person "using verbal direction accompanied by the display of a conducted energy weapon (commonly known as a taser), but were later required to use additional force after the subject kicked one of the arresting officers."
EPS said the person's chin was cut. They were taken to hospital. The police spokesperson did not say if the person remains in hospital or if they have been released.
"The use of force was reported and documented per EPS protocol. Police were aware they were being filmed, and requested witness statements and video from bystanders and other first responders on scene," EPS said in a statement Friday. "The incident and video in question are being reviewed to determine if any next steps are required.
"There is no change to the duty status of the officers involved."
HARES said it has located the person and said the individual remains in the ICU. CTV News Edmonton has not been able to confirm that information but has reached out to Alberta Health Services.
Beyond the physical injury, HARES added, the trauma from the interaction is likely to be ongoing.
"Being treated like that messes someone up, probably for life," a spokesperson for the organization said. "They're going to be released out of hospital into, again, being unhoused.
"And it's very possible that they'll have a similar interaction with police and that could well go worse as a result of the psychological trauma."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
Disappointment widespread over budget's proposed $200-month disability benefit funding
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
ArriveCan contractor to be admonished by MPs in extraordinarily rare parliamentary display
Enacting an extraordinarily rarely used parliamentary power, MPs have summoned an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon to be admonished publicly for failing to answer their questions.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archeological site in southwest France.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s sons have released a single together
A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.