The mild-mannered police response to the weekend blockade of downtown Ottawa by thousands of protesters opposed to pandemic restrictions reveals a racist double standard in how law enforcement agencies treat civil disobedience, some observers say.
Had Indigenous activists made the same threats, broke the same laws, and engaged in the same level of disruption they’d probably be met with a heavy-handed crackdown, Mi’kmaw lawyer and professor Pam Palmater told APTN News.
“I have no doubt that this is pure racism involved,” said Palmater. “Are people allowed to threaten the life of the prime minister? I’m wondering about that because I guarantee you if that was an Indigenous person or a Black person, they’d be sitting in jail.”
How many arrested for derailing trains?
