Canada: Police Officer Grabs and Threatens Brandi Morin with Arrest During Fairy Creek Raid
The Coalition For Women In Journalism demands accountability from RCMP for their aggressive action toward the journalist
Location: Canada, Vancouver Island
Date: August 15, 2023
Police officer grabbed and threatened journalist Brandi Morin with arrest as she reported on a raid of environmental blockade. Journalists routinely face intimidation tactics and restrictions by Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) when covering protests. The Coalition For Women In Journalism is alarmed by the aggression shown toward press and demands accountability from the RCMP.
On August 15, the RCMP launched a raid on an Indigenous-led blockade seeking to protect old-growth trees from logging at Fairy Creek Watershed, on Pacheedaht territory. Award-winning journalist Brandi Morin and photographer Amber Bracken were on the scene documenting events as police forcibly removed and arrested protestors.
During the raid, Morin experienced direct confrontation with law enforcement. She recounted how a police officer "grabbed" her arm and "threatened" her with arrest after she refused to comply with their media exclusion zones. Morin asserted her rights as a journalist, arguing that the exclusion zones were illegal.
In 2019 the British Columbia division of the RCMP received guidance on handling journalists based on a court ruling. This emphasized the importance of allowing journalists to report within exclusion zones in certain circumstances, provided they are not interfering with police work.
Concerningly this is not the first time the RCMP has mistreated Morin. In 2021, she was falsely accused by the RCMP of lying about being prohibited from visiting previous Fairy Creek demonstrations. The police also attempted to intimidate her when she reported on the Unist'ot'en Healing Camp.
These incidents highlight a larger issue of press freedom violations by the RCMP. Despite court rulings and legal advice affirming journalists' rights to cover these events, the RCMP's lack of a clear policy on media handling during protests have resulted in inconsistent treatment of reporters and photojournalists. This has led to repeated press violations, as well as confusion for journalists on the ground.
The Narwhal, a Canadian environmental publication, announced in February 2023 that it is suing the RCMP for the wrongful arrest of photojournalist Amber Bracken. Bracken was arrested while reporting on a demonstration against a gas pipeline. The lawsuit argues that Bracken did not breach any injunctions and that the RCMP was aware of her status as a journalist. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for press freedom in Canada.
The Coalition for Women in Journalism commends Brandi Morin for her dedication to truth and her willingness to report on the Fairy Creek demonstrations despite facing continuous police harassment. The RCMP's aggressive behavior towards Morin is an attempt to suppress coverage of abuses and environmental damage in Indigenous areas and a violation of press freedom and the right to information.
It is evident that the RCMP's British Columbia division has failed to enact a policy on handling the press during demonstrations, despite receiving court guidance. This has resulted in the mistreatment of journalists by police, creating a climate of confusion and leaving press workers vulnerable to police abuse.
We call on the RCMP to cease harassing journalists and, in consultation with press freedom advocates, to immediately publish a policy that outlines how to protect journalists’ rights while policing demonstrations.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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