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A newly released dashcam video has added more fuel to the argument about police brutality across North America.
The newest video comes from Canada and depicts the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) arresting a First Nations Chief.
Details about the arrest have been a catalyst for debate online about racism and racial bias in law enforcement.
The story starts when Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam is pulled over by the RCMP.
RCMP dashcam video shows officer tackling, punching Fort Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam during arrest outside a Fort McMurray, Alta., casino early in the morning of March 10. https://t.co/ZCDqowU98A
— CBC News Alerts (@CBCAlerts) June 12, 2020
Adam and his wife had left a casino in Fort McMurray, Alberta when they were pulled over for a expired license plate tags.
The 12 minute dashcam video shows Adam getting out of his vehicle and growing frustrated with the officers.
"I"m tired of being harassed by the RCMP!"
Adam gets into a verbal altercation with the officer, yelling for them to leave him and his wife alone.
Canadian police beat a First Nations chief to the ground over a license plate dispute. Video shows them punching Allan Adam repeatedly, he says after he reacted to them grabbing his wife.
Police harassment of Indigenous people is systemic, groups say: "Nobody speaks up for us." pic.twitter.com/4SWApDArFj
— AJ+ (@ajplus) June 12, 2020
Things escalated further when an officer moves to arrest the Indigenous leader and his partner rushes in and tackles Chief Adam.
Alright, as a lawyer, let me explain what Chief Allan Adam did wrong here to be assaulted by the RCMP: being an Indigenous man pic.twitter.com/UHYwmMtESJ
— Avnish Nanda (@avnishnanda) June 12, 2020
I hate reading comment sections on ANY post about First Nations issues because I genuinely get sick to my stomach... racism and the “get over it" or “oh natives always up to something" “screw the natives they deserve it, dead beats" comments never stop, even in these times. Sick.
— Jeremy White (@onairwithjeremy) June 12, 2020
I remember a few years back, I was dating a white lady at the time, and we were pulled over. Mind u, I was not driving, and he asked me for a license before her! And I'm like, why do u need mine? "Because I asked for it"! That is one of dozens of bad encounters with cops.
— Demetrius (@Demetri73900481) June 12, 2020
This is the most outrageous part. I'm not shocked it's happening, and it's obviously not acceptable, but I want to hear the psychiatrists weigh in on why they are still doing it even when they are being filmed.
— Jim Moss (@🏡) (@TheSmileCEO) June 12, 2020
I'm so sorry for Chief Adam and his wife. His cries were of a man tormented too long.
— stickit2theman (@stickit2theman2) June 12, 2020
The video shows the officers trying to restrain Adam and striking him multiple times. When they pull him to his feet, you can see his face covered in blood.
This is explained by the RCMP's notes as being because Adam tried to stand up.
"I struck the male as he tried to come up. He turned on his right side."
"I struck him using my right hand on his right side of the face. I wrapped my hand around his jaw and started squeezing."
Adam is charged with resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer.
You can see the full video here.
WARNING: Full video of Chief Allan Adam's arrestyoutu.be
The RCMP have released a statement on the incident finding the officers handled the arrest with an appropriate amount of force.
They reviewed the dashcam video and found the incident:
"Did not meet the threshold for an external investigation."
Between this, and Adam repeatedly yelling at the officer, there are those online saying this was justified.
Here's the part that's missing. pic.twitter.com/FtkysNTJGt
— Social Distancing since before it went Viral🦠 (@Telford05036077) June 12, 2020
Not that it is an excuse, the second cop came in way too hot but there was more to the video.
— Social Distancing since before it went Viral🦠 (@Telford05036077) June 12, 2020
No, this changed EVERYTHING for me. If a black man would have did even a percentage of what that man did, he would be already under the ground.
I don't support police brutality, but this chief was wildin' out.
— Darius (@KingDarius83) June 13, 2020
Doesnt matter what you are being detained for, if you pull away from an officer like that when he is not being aggressive at all, you deserve to get taken to the ground
— Arked (@Arked_angel) June 12, 2020
However, Adam and his lawyer, Brian Beresh have a different perspective. They called on the RCMP to release the dashcam, something the RCMP initially rejected.
Beresh said there's no way senior officers of the RCMP could have accurately concluded the arresting officers' actions were appropriate after watching the video.
"This was a false arrest; there was no basis for it, and it was excessive force used."
"We reject that totally. We will let the public look at the video and make a determination."
Beresh has also said he believes Adam's confrontational behavior was due to a history of systemic racism the First Nations leader has had to endure over his life.
"He, as the leader, feels that he has to stand up and make the statement. If you're bothering me as the leader, what is happening to those people that have no voice?"
Cdns really need to change how they interact and see Indigenous people. While it might be easy to look south and criticize the treatment of black people, the treatment of Indigenous people in Canada is just as bad if not worse.
— WMcFarlane (@WLMcFarlane) June 12, 2020
You wouldn't fight for your lands if they were being invaded?
— Derek Baker (@ride_stuff) June 12, 2020
Yeah. If the policemen doesn't like your attitude the consequence is a beating.
— Alex (@alexolmeda) June 13, 2020
Are we watching the same video? He bolts at the officer? He walked to the back of the truck and the officer tackled him like a Defensive player in a high school football game. Stfu lmfaoo pic.twitter.com/yOisn3ZC5y
— professional thugger (@bosschopp) June 12, 2020
This has gotten big enough that Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau weighed in on the newly released video.
He found the events in the video "shocking."
"Like many people I have serious questions about what happened," PR Trudeau says of dashcam video of RCMP's arrest of First Nation Chief Allan Adam; adds indep. investigation must be transparent and that far too many Black Cdns & Indig ppl do not feel safe around police #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/ysaIBQgVZJ
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) June 12, 2020
He echoed calls for an independent investigation into the matter.
"Like many people, I have serious questions about what happened. The independent investigation must be transparent and be carried out so that we get answers."
"At the same time, though, we also know that this is not an isolated incident. Far too many black Canadians and indigenous people do not feel safe around police."
"It's unacceptable. And as governments, we have to change that."
This all comes as civil unrest expands worldwide in the wake of protests against the police in the United States. The murder of George Floyd has roused a lot of questions about the public's relationship with the police.
It also followed on the heels of the death of a First Nations young mother in New Brunswick, shot five times by an RCMP officer during a wellness check.
Indigenous groups have planned healing walks Saturday in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in honour of Chantel Moore.https://t.co/pCUIXyC4UO
— Globalnews.ca (@globalnews) June 13, 2020
“We need actions not empty apologies." Calls for justice at today's healing walk in Kjipuktuk for Chantel Moore, an Indigenous woman killed by police in NB. @APTNNews pic.twitter.com/QuVZq9ayko
— Trina Roache (@TrinaRoache) June 13, 2020
Chantel Moore's family calls for justice, public inquiry during healing walk | CBC News https://t.co/qFfPU4Lpy5
— Russ Diabo (@RussDiabo) June 13, 2020
“Earlier this week, an indigenous woman named Chantel Moore in Edmundston, New Brunswick, was shot and killed by police who had come to perform a wellness check .... Does it makes sense for an armed cop to perform a wellness check?" https://t.co/ph2xvu14px
— Melanie Scrofano (@MelanieScrofano) June 9, 2020
Say their names: Victoria Paul (died in police custody), John Simon (RCMP broke inside his house & shot 3 X's, Chantel Moore (shot 5 X's during a wellness check) and now Rodney Levi (Shot 2 X's). These are the names of L'nuk who have been killed in NS & NB recently.
— Tuma Young, Q.C. (@tumayoung) June 13, 2020
Since April, six Indigenous people have been shot and killed by police in Canada:
Eishia Hudson
Jason Collins
Stewart Kevin Andrews
Abraham Natanine
Chantel Moore
Rodney Levihttps://t.co/u1IO4lEmvx
— Marieke Walsh (@MariekeWalsh) June 15, 2020
Indigenous people murdered by police in Canada since early April:
Eishia Hudson.
Jason Collins.
Stewart Kevin Andrews.
Everett Patrick.
Abraham Natanine.
RCMP shooting of man in Iqaluit village of Apex, Nunavut.
Regis Korchinski Paquet.
Chantel Moore.
Rodney Levi.
— David A. Robertson (@DaveAlexRoberts) June 13, 2020
Rodney Levi was murdered by the New Brunswick RCMP tonight.
Only eight days ago they murdered Chantel Moore.
ABOLISH THE POLICE. https://t.co/zFoiH087U9
— Jessica || ACAB (@jpadamson) June 13, 2020
In Canada, Indigenous peoples are 5% of the population but are 30% of the people killed by law enforcement.