Environmental publication sues Canadian police over journalist’s arrest at protest

An environmental publication in Canada is suing the police over the arrest of a photojournalist who was covering a protest in November 2021.

The Narwhal, a nonprofit news organization, announced on Monday that it filed a lawsuit against the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in the British Columbia’s Supreme Court, alleging wrongful arrest, wrongful detention and violation of their Charter rights. The report said that photojournalist Amber Bracken was arrested at an energy protest in the Wet’suwet’en territory in northwestern British Columbia and spent three nights in jail before being released.

“As a small, non-profit news organization, we didn’t want to have to bring a lengthy, expensive litigation against one of the most powerful organizations in our country. But ultimately we realized we had no other choice,” the Narwhal said.

“To not move forward with this case would be to turn our backs on what’s right — and to turn our backs on all the stories that happen in remote places without the watchful eyes of journalists, due to the chilling effect of arrests like these,” the statement continued.

According to The Guardian, Bracken told reporters that she kept waiting for the police to “realize their mistake.”

“I felt kidnapped. I have never been arrested before,” she said. “And it’s the best word I can think of to describe being taken so abruptly from my life and from my work and in violation of my Charter rights.”

Carol Linnitt, co-founder of the Narwhal, told reporters that Canadian police have not had to “face real consequences” for infringing on press freedom.

“Amber’s arrest is seared into my memory. The text informing me that she had been arrested. The late-night phone calls with lawyers, the sense of helplessness as Amber was inexplicably held in jail for three days,” Linnitt said.

In a statement to The Guardian, the RCMP said it is “aware of the claim, but, as we are subject to it and the court process, it would be inappropriate for us to comment. Once served, the Department of Justice will review and a statement of defence for the RCMP will be issued through the appropriate court process.”