FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 17, 2020, (Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh)/Vancouver, B.C – A coalition of organizations are appearing remotely as a Delegation at the Vancouver Police Board meeting on September 17 at 1 pm.
Hogan’s Alley Society, Union of BC Indian Chiefs, WISH Drop-In Centre Society, Black Lives Matter-Vancouver, and the BC Civil Liberties Association will make a presentation to the Vancouver Police Board calling on them to immediately ban police street checks in the city. On July 22, Vancouver City Council unanimously passed a motion stating Council’s priority is to end the practice of street checks in Vancouver.
Over 8,274 individuals have signed a petition calling for an immediate ban on police street checks. In an open letter to the Vancouver Police Board and the Province of BC, a total of 92 local and provincial community, environmental, faith, health, labour, legal, LGBTQ, student, and women’s organizations are also calling on the Vancouver Police Board to implement an immediate ban on the racist and illegal practice of street checks.
Addressed to the Vancouver Police Board as well as Government of BC, the organizations write, “We are writing you to take immediate action to address systemic discrimination in policing by ending all street checks in Vancouver and BC. Street checks are harmful and discriminatory for Indigenous, Black, and low-income communities. Street checks also have no basis in law, and you have the powers to ban them.”
Open letter with 92 co-signatories is available here.
Petition is available here.
Vancouver Police Board meeting on September 17 at 1 pm can be viewed online here.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Latoya Farrell, Staff Lawyer, BC Civil Liberties Association: 780-716-4408; [email protected]
Lama Mugabo, Director, Hogan’s Alley Society: 604-715-9565
Mebrat Beyene, Executive Director, WISH Drop-In Centre Society: 604-836-6464
Chief Don Tom, Vice President, Union of BC Indian Chiefs: 604-290-6083
Udokam Iroegbu: [email protected]
Harsha Walia, Executive Director, BC Civil Liberties Association: 778-885-0040
