Photojournalist Amber Bracken and The Narwhal file lawsuit against the RCMP after arrest on Wet’suwet’en territory in 2021

Video still (at 12:12): Photojournalist Amber Bracken was arrested by the RCMP on November 19, 2021, as she covered the Wet’suwet’en resistance to the Coastal GasLink fracked gas pipeline being built on their territory without consent.

This media release highlights: “The Narwhal and award-winning photojournalist Amber Bracken have filed a lawsuit in British Columbia’s Supreme Court today against the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for the violation of their Charter rights after Bracken was wrongfully arrested and detained while covering the enforcement of an injunction in Wet’suwet’en territory as a journalist in late 2021.”

It adds: “The Narwhal and Bracken are suing for damages related to the RCMP’s arbitrary arrest and detention. The lawsuit is also seeking acknowledgment that The Narwhal and Bracken’s press freedom rights, pursuant to Section 2(b) of the Charter, were breached.”

Bracken has told The Guardian about the experience of her arrest: “A police dog barked and whined as officers broke in the door with an axe and then a chainsaw to arrest the people inside. In that moment, I was both trembling and absolutely rooted in place. I was determined not to let this moment go unreported. I felt kidnapped. I have never been arrested before. And it’s the best word I can think of to describe being taken so abruptly from my life and from my work and in violation of my Charter rights.”

In this Democracy Now! transcript of Bracken’s arrest, she can be heard saying: “For the record, I’m a member of the media. You’ve been notified that I’m here. I’m an observer.”

The Canadian Association of Journalists

Brent Jolly, the president of the Canadian Association of Journalists, says: “I don’t know if it’s blissful ignorance, or just a blatant disregard for the law. But we want to make sure law enforcement understands this is the role of journalists: they’re not there as sort of an inconvenient troublemaker. They’re there to document events and to support the public’s right to know and to bear witness. Despite all the efforts of law enforcement to criminalize journalism over the past several years, journalism isn’t a crime.”

The CBC adds: “RCMP have acknowledged both Bracken and Toledano identified themselves at the scene as independent journalists.”

Peace Brigades International-Canada was in nearby Smithers on November 19, 2021, the day that Bracken was arrested. We were at the court house and the RCMP detachment as land defenders arrested on November 18 had a hearing, were processed and released.

At that time, we posted: CPJ and CAJ call for the release of two Canadian journalists arrested covering Wet’suwet’en land defence struggle.

Webinar on the RCMP C-IRG, February 21

The “community-industry response group” (C-IRG) is the RCMP unit that has been present on Wet’suwet’en territory for three militarized raids against the Wet’suwet’en, including the one in which Bracken was arrested.

On Tuesday February 21, we will be hosting a webinar – highlighting the demand that the C-IRG be abolished – with Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chief Na’moks, international human rights lawyer Shivangi Misra, and academic Keith Cherry (who has filed a formal complaint against the RCMP through the Civilian Complaints Review Commission for police actions at the Ada’itsx/Fairy Creek blockade). The webinar will be moderated by Seb Bonet of the University of Victoria and member of the PBI-Canada Board of Directors.

To register for this, please click here.