Police violence in northern B.C. adds local focus to Black Lives Matter rallies in Prince George

Recent incidents of police violence in northern B.C. were on the minds of many at a pair of Black Lives Matter rallies in Prince George, which drew crowds of roughly 700 people each on Friday and Saturday. 

The rallies' success has led to talk of forming a Black Lives Matter chapter in the city, focused on racial injustice and discrimination.

"It's beyond what's happening in the U.S.," said Nathan Andrews, an assistant professor at the University of Northern B.C. "We all know racism happens in Canada, too, and in northern B.C. and in Prince George. So I think putting together a body like this would help raise awareness, but it would also help tackle the issue from a very strategic point of view."

Andrews spoke at Saturday's event held under the Mr. PG statue, which welcomes visitors to the city. Other speakers shared stories of anti-black racism, ranging from being followed by security in stores to being complimented for being able to speak English.

'We need a revolution': Chief

A similar Black Lives Matter event outside city hall Friday also focused on Indigenous lives, with signs demanding justice for Everett Patrick and Dale Culver, two men who have died in RCMP custody in Prince George in recent years.

Culver's 17-year-old daughter, Lily Speed-Namox, asked for an apology in the death of her father, "as well as what happened to the all the other Indigenous and African-American people of the world ... It's not fair, it's not just, and it should not happen."

Culver died in 2017 after being arrested on suspicion of "casing vehicles." He was pepper sprayed, had trouble breathing and was pronounced dead after being taken to hospital. He was 35.

B.C.'s independent police watchdog has forwarded a report to Crown counsel asking it to consider charges against five officers, arguing "reasonable grounds exist to believe that two officers may have committed offences in relation to use of force and three others may have committed offences regarding obstruction of justice." It's alleged police told witnesses to delete video footage of Culver's arrest.

"These RCMP are still actively working and quote-unquote protecting and serving our community," Speed-Namox said.

An investigation is still underway following the April death of 42-year-old Everett Patrick, a member of the Lake Babine Nation.

The officers in both cases are still on duty, as is the Mountie who last month was ruled to have "assaulted and battered" a 61-year-old Wet'suwet'en elder in nearby Smithers after he incorrectly suspected her of shoplifting.

"When will it end?" asked B.C. Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief Terry Teegee at Friday's event. "We don't need a reform of a broken system. We need a revolution of hearts, minds and souls to create justice and equality."

History of race-based policing

A CBC investigation in 2018 into deadly use of force by police found that black and Indigenous people "are overwhelmingly over-represented" in deadly police encounters. 

The reasons behind that are rooted in the very founding of the country, said historian Jonathan Swaigner.

Swaigner's research uncovered a story from 1921, when Prince George's city council directed police to target "coloured undesirables," in an area they referred to as "N--gertown."

"It's scapegoating, plain and simple," Swaigner said. "It's not just an American thing, it's part of the Canadian historical tradition."

Andrews said Canada needs to acknowledge this history in order to move forward.

"I don't want to be 100 years old and see my grandchildren rallying about these same issues," he said.