politics: Public demands police accountability
Ian Rocksborough-Smith, Associate News Editor

Allegations of police brutality were directed towards the Vancouver Police Department at its last public board meeting at the Vancouver Public Library.

In response to the overwhelming number of arrests that have taken place in the last two weeks, the Anti-Poverty Committee called for a large contingent of concerned citizens to attend the meeting and "greet" the police board. Approximately 60 people arrived and were met with an enormous security presence, as 40 cops dressed in full riot gear lined the hallway leading to the meeting room underneath the library. Seven uniformed officers were blocking the only stairwell down to the hallway and while searching bags, allowed only about 25 people from the crowd to enter, including members of the media.

The people remaining on the concourse above the hall denounced the limited accessibility of what was supposed to be a fully "public" meeting. Cries of "End police brutality!" and "We want accountability!" could be heard, as members of the media and the few people who were being let inside had their bags checked again.

Once inside, members of the public wishing to speak on the issue of police conduct were placed on the agenda as a "special delegation" and allotted five minutes. Anton Pilipa, a spokesperson for the Anti-Poverty Committee, stated a number of demands, to which he said the Committee expects a prompt response from the police board. Included in these demands are a call for a public inquiry and an apology for policing actions at the Woodwards squat and the Britannia "police riot" - actions that Pilipa described as "thuggish." Pilipa pointed out that the Britannia incident had been a "public demonstration against [the B.C. Liberal governments] policies that are hurting people in this province" and that the police had turned it into a riot.

Of particular concern to Pilipa were the actions of a police officer at the Britannia demonstration who allegedly "brutally assaulted and arrested" a 13-year-old Britannia Secondary School student. APC wants the officer, whose badge number was identified as 2072 by numerous witnesses, to be a subject of the inquiry and held accountable for his actions. "That means firing him," added Pilipa.

After hearing the delegation, Vancouver Police Board chair Ken Bagshaw proceeded to thank the speakers for input, and without responding, moved on to the scheduled agenda for the meeting. Frustrated with the lack of response from the police board for the issues they had raised, a heated debate ensued between Bagshaw and numerous members of the audience. Bagshaw maintained that the board could not presently deal with the issues the "delegation" had raised, and that they had to be taken up with the police complaints commission through another process.

Pilipa disagreed, mentioning that the purpose of a public meeting was for the public to have input on how policing is carried out in Vancouver. "We want an explanation," he said. "We won't deal with it," insisted Bagshaw.

APC intends to be at the next police board meeting with similar demands. The meeting is scheduled to take place on November 20 at Kerrisdale Community Centre.

In the last few weeks over 70 people, mostly activists and homeless people, have been arrested for demonstrating in the streets against the policies of Gordon Campbell's Liberal government or for squatting at the abandoned Woodwards building in the Downtown Eastside.

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