“They refused to cooperate:” Calgary Police accused of intimidation following pro-Palestine protest
Acacia Carol,聽Contributor |聽
12 protesters were ticketed and three were arrested by the Calgary Police Service (CPS) on Sept.聽 15, following officers’ response to 鈥渁 non-permitted event.鈥澛�
The protest, which was organized by the Calgary Coalition for Palestine and the Calgary Student Movement (CSM) in coordination with various other organisations, began in Tomkins Park before proceeding west down 17th Avenue S.W. towards 14 Street S.W.
In a statement on X following the event, police outlined concerns for community disruption as well as children鈥檚 safety during the protest, as the group spilled out off the sidewalk and into the road.聽
“Despite efforts by officers, including the use of bikes to fence off the road and numerous requests by loud hailer, they refused to cooperate,鈥� the statement read.聽
However, a very different image is painted by protestors at the event itself, like Leo Smith, who was one of the individuals ticketed at the protest. Smith detailed the initial police presence at the march as 鈥渋ntimidating鈥� but reiterated the intention of protestors to keep the event peaceful.
鈥淚 was generally uneasy from the beginning, just because of the police presence. But overall, I felt safe. I was with my community and we were protesting. We were allowed to protest there.鈥�
It wasn’t until the march reached Tomkins Park again that Smith was issued a ticket. Smith stated that when he approached an officer with his cellphone recording to document the ticketing of another protestor, he was detained before being ticketed himself.
鈥淚 felt like I was being singled out,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 clear on why. Because I had no part in organising that event. I had simply attended. I have a right to protest.鈥�
Smith also described other protesters seeing an officer strike an elderly protester with a bike, masked individuals taking photographs on top of buildings, and a drone that hovered nearby as the march began.聽
Describing the 鈥渉ectic situation,鈥� Smith claimed that he saw protesters being arrested and ticketed on the roadway as traffic proceeded, with all claims reiterated by other protestors and protest organisers.
鈥淭hey physically overpowered a lot of the people that they were arresting, and that included bringing them into oncoming traffic.鈥�
Smith also shared concerns about how police treated 鈥渢he only black person鈥� at the event. Smith described seeing the individual, who was not a part of the march, being approached by police.聽
Smith believed the individual was only tending to an art installation along the protest route, not actively protesting. Smith also maintains that there was 鈥渁bsolutely鈥� no intention for the protest to escalate from those marching.聽聽聽聽
鈥淭he police were aware of our route and they were facilitating our march,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e have marshals who helped conduct this march. We have trained volunteers who are trained in first aid and de-escalation.鈥�
So, was the response of police proportional to the potential risk that the protesters posed to themselves or the wider community? Smith believes that the response of ticketing and arresting was 鈥渟imply intimidation.鈥澛�
More specifically, Smith outlined similarities with mass ticketing during the May 9th student encampment, and what legal precedent these citations set.聽
鈥淭ickets issued to either protesters at the May 9th demonstration or May 9th encampment at the UofC, were either thrown out or delayed as they reached their court dates.鈥�
The May 9th demonstration at the University of Calgary campus also drew considerable backlash for how CPS responded, with student protestors being tear gassed, physically assaulted, ticketed and arrested by officers in full riot gear.聽
The CSM has publicly condemned police action at both the May 9th encampment and the Sept.聽 15th march at Tomkins Park.聽
The demands of the CSM have not changed since May 9th, with chief demands being total divestment from corporations involved with the 鈥渟urveillance, occupation, and murder鈥� of Palestians and a full disclosure of where 50度灰视频’ tuition is being invested.
These demands and calls for action were a key part of the goals of protesters and organizers at Tomkins Park. Still, Smith believes this was a key reason that police presence was so heavy and concentrated during the march.
鈥淲e’ve been treated differently simply because we’re with the Palestinian cause specifically.鈥�
So, what is next for Smith? Well, he plans to have his day in court, however, he feels that much of the next steps are 鈥渦p in the air鈥� currently.聽
