An environmental publication, the Narwhal, has announced plans to sue the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) over the arrest and detention of photojournalist Amber Bracken while she was covering a protest in British Columbia in 2021. The lawsuit argues that Bracken's constitutional rights were violated during the incident.
Bracken, an award-winning photographer who has worked with the Guardian, was arrested during a police raid on a protest camp. She was detained for three days before being released. Police were enforcing a court-ordered injunction against demonstrators, and Bracken had notified police of her assignment and carried identification.
The Narwhal's co-founder, Carol Linnitt, stated that the arrest was a violation of press freedom and that Canadian police forces have not faced consequences for such infringements. Bracken described feeling 'kidnapped' and said she was determined to report despite the intimidation.
The lawsuit seeks damages for wrongful arrest and detention. A month after the arrest, Coastal GasLink dropped civil contempt charges against Bracken and another journalist. The Canadian Association of Journalists has raised concerns about the relationship between media and police in exclusion zones.
Bracken hopes the case will ensure police respect journalists' rights in the future, stating, 'That day I stood my ground to report. Today we are standing up to hopefully prevent such an arrest.'
