Allegations have been made against C-IRG officers for forcibly removing masks from protesters and using pepper spray against them during a protest in British Columbia.
Following numerous complaints of excessive force, disregard for court orders, and violation of protesters’ rights, Canada’s federal police force has initiated an investigation into a contentious unit responsible for overseeing environmental protests.
On Thursday, the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission, a monitoring division of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, announced that it would scrutinize the operations of the community-industry response group, also known as C-IRG, situated in British Columbia.
Amidst the Fairy Creek blockade, a protest opposing logging in old-growth forests on Vancouver Island, members of the specialized unit were alleged to have forcibly removed masks from protesters, used pepper spray against them, and pulled them by their hair.
As reported previously by The Guardian, the C-IRG participated in demonstrations against the Coastal GasLink pipeline by deploying riot control personnel, canines, and helicopters to dismantle blockades. The unit was also willing to use lethal force against Indigenous protesters. Additionally, a British Columbia supreme court judge declared the RCMP’s exclusion zones, which were established to prohibit media from entering specific areas of the injunction zone, to be illegal.
For a significant period, the RCMP has received reproach for their treatment of Indigenous individuals, and lately, they have been confronted with growing worries regarding responsibility and a lack of consideration for court rulings. The C-IRG has been accused of mistreatment, prejudice, and undue aggression, though the unit’s management has refuted these allegations.
A lawsuit has been filed against the unit, claiming that it employed “illicit tactics” to dismantle the Fairy Creek demonstration, and the unit is also implicated in a more extensive legal case concerning freedom of the press. This stems from the detention of two journalists by RCMP officers who were documenting the police’s efforts to demolish barriers against the Coastal GasLink pipeline on traditional Wet’suwet’en land.
According to the RCMP supervisory organization, an evaluation will be conducted to determine if the unit’s activities align with Canada’s charter of rights and freedoms, as well as newly enacted legislation relating to the United Nations’ declaration on the rights of Indigenous peoples. Additionally, the police force has stated that they will guarantee the unit’s behavior complies with the suggestions put forth in the national inquiry concerning missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.
The RCMP oversight body has announced that it will assess the unit’s compliance with Canada’s charter of rights and freedoms, in addition to recent legislation pertaining to the United Nations declaration on the rights of Indigenous peoples. The police force has also committed to ensuring that the unit adheres to the recommendations made in the national inquiry on missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.
As per the RCMP, the CRCC has the capacity to investigate the behavior of individual officers and determine if any changes need to be made to policies or training. The police force has issued a statement acknowledging that they had expected the investigation.
Staff Sgt Kris Clark, a media relations officer, stated that the RCMP was aware of the potential for a review and had been collaborating to provide the CRCC with complete access and a thorough comprehension of the C-IRG’s policies, procedures, practices, guidelines, training, and operations.
