Pro-Palestinian activists launch lawsuit over ‘violent’ arrests at Calgary protest - BERITAJA

Nine protesters who were progressive successful a pro-Palestinian objection astatine the University of Calgary successful May 2024 person launched a suit complete damages they declare to person suffered erstwhile riot constabulary moved successful to forcibly break up the event.

The University of Calgary, members of the Calgary Police Service, including erstwhile constabulary main Mark Neufeld, and the City of Calgary are each named arsenic defendants successful the lawsuit.

The protestation began about 6:30 a.m. connected May 9, 2024, erstwhile demonstrators group up a shelter encampment connected the southbound section astatine MacEwan Hall, objecting to what they claimed were the university’s ties to Israeli companies and institutions that were straight aliases indirectly progressive successful the conflict betwixt Israel and Hamas.

The protest, led by a group called the Calgary Student Movement, was 1 of dozens of akin events held connected campuses crossed Canada and the United States. During its highest it progressive up to 150 people, including students, alumni and organization supporters.

While the assemblage maintained it supported the protesters’ correct to free reside and correct to protest, it said that for information and operational reasons they were not allowed to group up an encampment connected campus.

According to police, about 60 of the protesters yet agreed to leave, but precocious connected the 2nd time of the event, officers moved successful to apprehension the remaining protesters pinch video posted connected societal media showing officers tearing down makeshift fencing and tents.

The demonstrators accused constabulary of utilizing capsicum spray, batons and flash bangs connected them during the arrests, but constabulary defended their actions, saying immoderate of the protesters were throwing h2o bottles and different items astatine the officers.

According to the tribunal documents, the suit was revenge connected May 4, 2026 astatine the Court of King’s Bench successful Edmonton and the 9 plaintiffs see 3 University of Calgary students and 4 alumni, a Palestinian woman, and advocates for bid from Calgary’s divers communities.

They declare to person suffered a assortment of injuries, including:

• concussions, headaches and dizziness,
• rib, jaw, hand, neck, look and backmost injuries,
• cuts, bruises, and scrapes,
• psychological trauma including fear, intelligence anguish, distress, nationalist humiliation, and hypervigilance of police.

The suit says, moreover though each charges against the demonstrators were yet withdrawn, respective of them besides declare to person incurred costs and suffered intelligence distress related to defending themselves against charges by police.

The plaintiffs opportunity the university’s main quadrangle has been a regular tract of civic objection for decades, including encampment protests, and they support they were conscionable exercising their Charter-protected correct to serene protestation earlier they were “subjected to a convulsive removal.”

The suit calls the defendant’s actions malicious, high-handed and oppressive and seeks much than $330,000 successful damages, arsenic good arsenic tribunal costs and a declaration that protesters’ Charter authorities were breached.

Asked by BERITAJA for its consequence to the lawsuit, the University of Calgary responded pinch an email that said it will “review immoderate connection of declare received done the courts and respond arsenic appropriate.”

The Calgary Police Service said it has not been formally served truthful is incapable to remark connected immoderate pending litigation.