Charge the RCMP officers who used excessive force on Chief Allan Adam with assault
Charge the RCMP officers who used excessive force on Chief Allan Adam with assault
Why this petition matters
In early March, Athabasca Chipewyan Chief Allan Adam was stopped by RCMP officers in Fort McMurray because his truck had expired license plates. The interaction quickly became a violent altercation, as has recently been shown by released dashcam video footage from the RCMP. Chief Adam was placed in a chokehold and punched repeatedly by RCMP officers. Chief Adam's lawyer, Brian Beresh, has stated that, "This was a false arrest; there was no basis for it, and it was excessive force used." We agree: there is no need for excessive force in handling an expired license plate.
Chief Adam has been charged with resisting arrest and unlawful assault of a police officer. He is currently in court seeking to have these charges stayed. No RCMP officer has been arrested or subject to disciplinary actions for the violence described by Chief Adam and displayed in the evidence dashcam. This is unacceptable. BIPOC and Indigenous people in particular are far too often the subject of violence from police in Canada. This must stop.
We are asking that Chief Adam's charges of resisting arrest and unlawful assault of a police officer be immediately dismissed and the officers involved in this needlessly violent altercation be charged with assault. This is another example of police brutality against Canada's Indigenous population and a precedent must be set so that this violence will no longer be allowed to continue. The officers involved must be charged with assault.
Decision Makers
- Alberta Prime Minister Jason Kenney
- Wood Buffalo RCMP
- RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki