RCMP used 'excessive force' at Quebec summit: report

ninty · **RCMP used 'excessive force' at Quebec summit: report -** 11-13-2003, 04:27 PM

RCMP used 'excessive force' at Quebec summit: report
Last Updated Thu, 13 Nov 2003 15:41:40
OTTAWA - Some RCMP officers were too aggressive with protesters at the Summit of the Americas conference in Quebec City 2½ years ago, according to an interim report by a watchdog group.

Mounties did not give demonstrators enough warning before firing tear gas to break up a crowd, says the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP. Several hours of videotape were reviewed as part of the investigation.

"RCMP members used excessive and unjustified force in releasing tear gas to move the protesters when a more measured response could have been attempted first," concludes Shirley Heafey, the group's chair.

She recommends officers be given better instructions for dealing with crowds, that action be taken against some Mounties, and that an apology be issued to demonstrators.

Her 15-page interim report has been forwarded to RCMP Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli, who will study it before sending a response to the public complaints body. Heafey will then issue a final report.

The complaint was launched by NDP MP Svend Robinson, who was one of the people hit by tear gas outside the Summit of the Americas in Quebec in April 2001. He also said he was hit in the leg with a rubber bullet, although Heafey was not able to confirm the allegation.

"This report is a damning indictment of the gross abuse of power by the RCMP 'O' Division tactical troop in attacking peaceful protesters in total contempt of the law and their own procedures," Robinson said in a statement.

"Such abuse of police power in a democracy is an outrage. In response to the initial RCMP whitewash of my complaint, the Commission has issued a powerful rebuke to the RCMP," the MP said. He encourages any protesters "illegally attacked" by the Mounties to sue.

Security was extremely tight at the summit. World leaders met behind a wall of concrete and wire. Most of the protesters outside were peaceful, although some pushed down part of the barricade and threw rocks and other objects at police.

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/11/13/rcmp_summit031113
http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2001/04/21/protest_pmc_010421

ninty · 11-13-2003, 04:31 PM

Report rips RCMP brutality
'Excessive, unjustified force' used on Quebec protesters

Peter O'Neil
The Vancouver Sun

Thursday, November 13, 2003

The RCMP abused its power while using "oppressive" force against protesters at the 2001 Summit of the Americas in Quebec City, resulting in a violation of both the Criminal Code and the Charter of Rights, according to the RCMP Public Complaints Commission.

"RCMP members used excessive and unjustified force," chief commissioner Shirley Heafey concluded in her scathing report, obtained yesterday by CanWest News.

The report said the Mounties had the right to disperse protesters near a gathering of leaders from North and South America, including U.S. President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.

But the RCMP's tactical squad violated its own procedures by giving inadequate warning and then using tear gas, rubber bullets, a "flash bang" grenade and a Taser gun to scatter crowds during a day of protest.

She recommended that the two senior RCMP inspectors responsible for crowd control be "dealt with accordingly" and that individual officers who "abused their power and authority" be subjected to "appropriate sanctions."

Ms. Heafey also said the RCMP should apologize to New Democratic Party MP Svend Robinson, who received a letter from the Mounties in February that dismissed his complaints and blamed the MP and other protesters for the violence.

Ms. Heafey, in supporting Mr. Robinson's appeal to the Public Complaints Commission, outlined in graphic detail two examples of police brutality.

In one instance, an officer shot 50,000 volts of electricity from a Taser gun into a protester who was lying face-down on the pavement, waiting to be arrested, with one arm held up for a handcuff and the other over his head flashing the peace sign.

The gun, according to the manufacturer's website, "is solely designed to stop the most hardened of targets: extremely violent, aggressive, goal-oriented and drug-induced suspects."

In another instance, officers fired rubber bullets at a group of well-dressed, adult men who had simply gathered 10 to 15 metres from an RCMP post and shook hands.

The laughing officers aimed their multiple laser range finders at the crotch of one man, who appeared to be hit in the buttocks and was hiding behind a tree.

"One member clearly said: 'These guys don't speak a word of English, boys,' to the laughter of others. The struck civilian switched to English, pleading to speak with the 'officer in charge.' He was laughed at by unknown members and told to 'go home' in English," Ms. Heafey wrote.

"This conduct was inappropriate and oppressive. The four civilians were not aggressive and posed no threat."

The circumstances surrounding both the Taser and the rubber bullet incidents, according to Ms. Heafey, "could not have remotely called for such disgraceful conduct."

Ms. Heafey will deliver her final report, which is not binding on the force, after the RCMP has an opportunity to comment on her interim decision. Mr. Robinson, meanwhile, is continuing his own lawsuit against the RCMP.

RCMP Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli received the report yesterday and will review the findings and recommendations before responding, said Staff-Sgt. Paul Marsh.

Mr. Robinson, who will make the report public today, said he ask Solicitor General Wayne Easter to call in Commissioner Zaccardelli to explain both the brutality and the RCMP's subsequent "whitewash" investigation.

"People just dismiss (protesters) as a bunch of radical young people protesting against (free trade)," Mr. Robinson said.

"These were a group of young people whose most basic rights were trampled on and who were subject to breaches of the Criminal Code."

Ms. Heafey's report says the RCMP failed to follow its own operational policy.

The RCMP, while having the right to disperse crowds in order to protect foreign leaders, must follow their own rules which require officers to give protesters sufficient time to act on those orders.

She wrote that the RCMP must clearly tell protesters that they could be arrested and charged if they don't disperse, and that they could also be subjected to forceful measures such as the use of tear gas and rubber bullets.

Instead, the Mounties moved in only two minutes after the first verbal order to disperse was given.

"None of this tactical operational procedure was followed," she wrote.

The report says the use of tear gas and other instruments of force were likely counterproductive, including the tossing of an "incendiary and disorienting device known as a 'flash bang,' which made a large explosive 'flash' in the air followed by a loud 'bang' noise to 'scare and confuse the crowd,' as described in the investigation report.

"Under the circumstances at the time," wrote Ms. Heafey, "this may not have been needed or helpful in dispersing the crowd in an orderly and controlled fashion. The resultant fright and confusion was immediate and plainly evident on both (RCMP) tapes."

© Copyright 2003 The Ottawa Citizen

11-13-2003, 04:40 PM

what exactly were they protesting?

as far as flashbangs go, those can be considered deadly weapons, I've killed guys in AAO with flashbangs before.

ninty · 11-13-2003, 05:47 PM

Globalization, Huge Corporation, Governments...you know, the usual.

Summit of the Americas is held every 2 years I believe. Remember the riots in Seattle a few years back. I think in 99 or 2000. That was for summit of the Americas.

Anyway now evidence is surfacing that RCMP used too much force etc. which I think is bullshit. When protesters start throwing rocks vandalize things, throw barricades at police and tear down fences, the use of rubber bullets, water cannons and tear gas is OK in my books.

Zoner · 11-13-2003, 05:49 PM

100% agree

Excessive force, pshaw. If you didn't want yer ass filled with rubber bullets, you shoulda stayed home Protest Boy.

You want to protest, fine. You wanna protest and beat shit up, prepare to get owned by rubber bullets, tasers, and gas.

Short Hand · 11-13-2003, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoner

100% agree

Excessive force, pshaw. If you didn't want yer ass filled with rubber bullets, you shoulda stayed home Protest Boy.

You want to protest, fine. You wanna protest and beat shit up, prepare to get owned by rubber bullets, tasers, and gas.

Rodney King anyone ?

Tripper · 11-13-2003, 06:29 PM

[quote="Short Hand":cd78f]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoner

100% agree

Excessive force, pshaw. If you didn't want yer ass filled with rubber bullets, you shoulda stayed home Protest Boy.

You want to protest, fine. You wanna protest and beat shit up, prepare to get owned by rubber bullets, tasers, and gas.

Rodney King anyone ?[/quote:cd78f]

How is this ANYTHING like Rodney King?

...I 100% agree, Ninty - If they ask for it, they'll get it - So long as they don't die - they deserve what they get.

Ferich · 11-13-2003, 06:52 PM

Doesn't matter what Country you're in, Cops are still big assholes.

rolleyes:

1080jibber · 11-13-2003, 07:21 PM

it should be illegal to protest

fucken hippies

Tripper · 11-13-2003, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ferich

Doesn't matter what Country you're in, Cops are still big assholes.

rolleyes:

Oh yeah, I agree with that - It's almost human nature to have an ego trip when you're a cop.

They're bastards down here too. Luckily hardly any of them carry guns.

V.A.C. · 11-13-2003, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoner

100% agree

Excessive force, pshaw. If you didn't want yer ass filled with rubber bullets, you shoulda stayed home Protest Boy.

You want to protest, fine. You wanna protest and beat shit up, prepare to get owned by rubber bullets, tasers, and gas.

rock: I totally agree, I really getting sick of all these frickin tree huggers

11-13-2003, 08:53 PM

Law enforncement agents put there lives on the line several times a day. Not for the purpose of fighting a war. Not for the salary or benifits a solgiar enjoys. There purpose is to maintain civil order.

In my opion , The police and laws should be respected. Failure to do so should result in punishment.

Excessive Force? HA! The punishment for a DUI in middle Europian Contries is Death.

Rodney King..... Im not certain of the facts but I believe it goes something like this....

King on drugs and doing 90 in a 35 evaded the police and resisted arrest apon his capture. He attacked the arresting officers ( which was not on film ) and was " subdued".
Now the officers went to trial for being excessive.

Police officers get a bad rap just for doing there jobs.
Reminds me of solgiars.........

Ferich · 11-13-2003, 08:58 PM

Tell me how throwing Tear Gas at an unarmed crowd is putting your life on the line?

And the way you're saying it, "Zen Master", is that Police can do anything they wish just because they have a badge and " put their life on the line"?

Coal Miners put their life on the line, but it doesn't mean they can be assholes to whomever they wish and intimidate people for a laugh.

Eight Ace · 11-13-2003, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ferich

Doesn't matter what Country you're in, Cops are still big assholes. rolleyes:

...you should show a little more respect for the pigs, man.

11-13-2003, 09:30 PM

Ferich,

I dont quite understand your point of view.

Would you be so good as to answer two questions for me sir?

How old are you?
And What do you do for a living?

With this information I think I'll be able to understand you better and will answer your question.
In fact I'll tell you my answers to make you feel more secure about it.

Age - 26
Profession - Ex US Army , Run a home bussiness with my wife.