Vancouver Police Department must acknowledge systemic racism and commit to invest in anti-racism training to prevent practices harmful to BIPOC members and the public.
Why is this important?
On Dec. 20, 2019 Maxwell Johnson and his 12 year-old granddaughter, Torianne, were racially profiled and handcuffed after trying to open a bank account at a BMO branch in Vancouver.
What happened to Max and Tori was terrible and shocking, but unfortunately it was just one example of the spectrum of racism Indigenous people face in Canada everyday.
Whether it’s being denied service at a restaurant, being followed by security guards in a grocery store, or being made the subject of racist jokes and slurs by staff, Indigenous people, and other people of colour, experience racism on a regular basis.
These seemingly isolated incidents connect to much deeper patterns of colonial violence and systemic racism against Indigenous people, including Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and the recent forced removal of Wet’suwet’en people from their homelands. This racism dates to the creation of Canada itself and continues to the present day.
It is all connected, and it must stop now.
We need to hold institutions accountable for systemic racism. Visible minorities are under constant threat of racial profiling by organizations, and discrimination by police. We are launching this campaign to seek justice for Indigenous Peoples and communities, and so that other people of colour can feel safe.
How it will be delivered
Signatures will be delivered by email to:
Adam Palmer, Chief Constable, Vancouver Police Department
Mayor Kennedy Stewart, Police Board Chair
David Eby, Attorney General of BC
Independent Investigator's Office of BC
