CP Police Justice?

Picketers arrested
Published: May 29, 2007
Source: MWED

Brothers and Sisters,

Tonight while picketing at VIF (Vancouver Inter modal Facility) I received a phone call that CP Police were arresting some of our members at the Oxford entrance to Coquitlam Yard. I immediately headed over there to find 6 of our members handcuffed and surrounded by CP cops on CP property about 100 feet from the public road crossing where we have a picket line. I approached and was stopped by a cp cop who told me that I was trespassing and had to go back off of CPR property.

I went back with the others on the line and started calling lawyers. I won't go into any more detail right now other than to say that they have been arrested for alleged "mischief" (the act of picketing is the alleged mischief). We will be with legal tomorrow and following their advice, we will release what other information we can.

However, I will tell you that we have the whole thing on video and I have seen it. All the members were peacefully picketing between the lines of a public crosswalk in front of CPR property (there is no injunction against picketing at this location). The CPR cops came in force and told them to move along or they would arrest them. Then they almost immediately began dragging them off the picket line and handcuffing them. The video has sound and none of the members were belligerent or offered resistance. However, there is one officer who forcibly wrenches a members arm way up at an unnatural angle and then viciously kicks him to the ground. It is horrible to watch. And then to know that the alleged offence is only "mischief" ( for being in a legal picket line) makes it doubly disturbing.

Again, I have to add that the video clearly shows that they did not offer insult, resistance or any violence. The same can not be said for CPRail's personal police force.

Stay safe, stay strong, stay united,

Bill Brehl
President
TCRC MWED

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• TCRC
• MWED
• Strike
• Picket
• Line
• Arrests
• by
• CP
• Rail
• Police
• Force

[TCRC295]

There was a need to remove some racist comments. Apparently some feel you have no rights if you speak another language on a LEGAL picket line. As for the other boorish remarks on the legalities of this I will just say that this arrest was challenged in court and the judge sided with the picketers not the police. This is not a state in the union it happened in Canada and picket lines are legal for unions in Canada no matter what language you speak….

[phobal]

Haha that guy is so worried about the guy in white shorts assaulting a cop but then they leave him unattended while in cuffs. ahaha

[phobal]

Canada is such a peaceful country. We are not violent, only the police are!

[satanscroni]

fuck that

[gmanw3]

Peaceful picketers getting masuled by police. What is this country coming to?

Vote NDP !!!bring back worker rights !!!

[neveshizzle]

thats fucking bull shit  stupid cops

[northlander30]

Well I can say this is the first time I have ever seen police arrest anyone for picketing!