Community groups want review after student arrested at Ottawa dress code protest
The arrest of a student at last week’s dress code blitz protest outside an Orléans high school has five community groups demanding answers.
“What we’re calling for is an independent, human-rights based review of the Ottawa Police Service, the Ottawa Police Services Board, and Crime Prevention Ottawa, which works closely with them,” said Robin Browne, the co-lead of 613-819 Black Hub.
The groups include the 613-819 Black Hub, the Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women, Asilu Collective, Ottawa Black Diaspora Coalition, and Horizon Ottawa. They say it would evaluate whether police actions caused harm.
“The city should be the one paying for it. We’re going to actually follow up with the city, make this a specific request to the city,” said Browne.
Interim Ottawa Police Chief Steve Bell wrote in a letter to the police services board that the service reviewed the call and found officers acted appropriately.
“The challenges the officers faced were from youths who did not attend the school and who were repeatedly crossing the roadway to the protest and agitating the crowd,” Bell wrote, adding they were asked not to do that due to safety concerns “at least five times.”
“Block off the street. If they really mean it when they say they’re going to protect the right to lawful protest, you block off the street you don’t rush in there and let the cars go on through and arrest the students,” said Browne.
Ottawa police say complaints can be filed with the Office of the Independent Police Review Director.
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.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
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.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.