AhlulBayt News Agency

source : Edmonton Journal
Saturday

29 April 2023

5:08:27 AM
1361190

Violent arrest of black Muslim man sparks protest in Canada

A Canadian Muslim organization has protested to Edmonton police for its forces' violent arrest of black Muslim man last week.

AhlulBayt News Agency: A Canadian Muslim organization has protested to Edmonton police for its forces' violent arrest of black Muslim man last week.  

In a statement released Wednesday, the organization representing Muslims said the man, who is not being named to protect his and his family’s privacy, was driving from a south Edmonton mosque on April 21 after taking part in the Friday prayer.

The man, wearing traditional clothing including a turban and thobe, was driving a vehicle with his wife and young children inside. He was pulled over by Edmonton police for reportedly going 47 km/h in a 30 km/h zone.

Edmonton police, in their own statement Wednesday, confirmed the man was pulled over around 2:30 p.m. April 21. Officers were conducting enforcement using a speed gun on Millwoods Road between 36 Avenue and 36B Avenue when a driver was recorded travelling 47 km/h in a playground zone.

The Muslim organization said the man noticed that one of the officers appeared agitated and requested a supervisor to be present before providing his driver’s licence and other identification. He was then pulled out of the car and put into a restraint position, with one of the officers putting their knee on his neck.

“Make no mistake about it,” said Said Omar, NCCM’s Alberta advocacy officer in the statement. “Having a knee violently pinned on the back of a man’s neck over an alleged minor speeding infraction — there were no Criminal Code charges — could have, as all Canadians know, produced far more tragic results.”

Police, however, say officers repeatedly requested that the man provide his name, driver’s licence, insurance, or registration over several minutes and was warned he would be arrested if they were not provided. The man was then directed to leave his vehicle, which he refused.

“The primary officer and a second officer then reached into the vehicle, taking the driver by both arms and pulled him out,” police said. “The driver continued to resist and refused to comply with police direction and was pulled to the ground where he continued to struggle and not comply with police instructions.”

The man was then arrested. Officers issued tickets for speeding, failing to produce a driver’s license, and failing to produce registration and insurance.

A minute-long video posted by the NCCM appears to show two officers arresting the man, one with their knee on or near his neck. The man can be heard screaming while a woman repeatedly asks the officers to “please stop.”

“You’re not supposed to do this, there are kids in the car crying,” the woman said.

The NCCM said the man suffered a number of injuries and his family has suffered significant mental distress.

According to police, emergency medical services was dispatched due to the “driver’s agitated state” to check on his mental well-being and he was medically cleared. However, he asked to be taken to hospital, stating his shoulder was sore.

The NCCM said it reached out to the Edmonton Police Service to begin a discussion with leadership.

The organization provided the service with a 15-second excerpt of an approximate five-minute video of the arrest, police said, but refused to provide the entire video. No formal complaint has been filed as of Thursday afternoon.

Upon reviewing the 15-second clip, and the one-minute video posted to social media, “EPS does not currently intend to investigate this matter further,” the service stated.

The NCCM later disputed that, saying it didn’t turn over the full video because police did not “guarantee the confidentiality” of the children involved.

“We remain open to dialogue with EPS, as well as all Albertans who are committed to making sure that an incident like this never happens again,” the NCCM said.


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