A small group gathered outside the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) headquarters in downtown Edmonton over the weekend to protest "the use of force," during the arrest of a woman last week..On Friday, the Western Standard shared a video of an officer pushing an woman to the ground who was allegedly "brandishing a knife.".READ MORE: WATCH: EPS officer shown shoving woman 'brandishing a knife'.The video shows the EPS officer coming up from behind the woman before exerting a considerable amount of force with a push to the centre of the woman's back..The incident happened Thursday at the intersection of 106 Ave. and 100 St. near Hope Mission where police responded to a weapons complaint.."The officer was driving in the area, and was flagged down by a member of the community who reported that two females, one of whom was armed with a knife, were about to fight," said EPS in a statement..On Sunday, a small group gathered outside of EPS headquarters downtown to protest what they're calling the "use of force.".One sign read, "Stop brutalizing indigenous brothers and sisters.".Social media erupted over the weekend with people defending the officer's actions, however, some people from the protest claim the shove by the EPS officer was "gross behaviour.".Judith Gale with the Bear Clan Beaver Hills House in Edmonton and identified the Cree woman from the video as 47-year-old Melanie Bigchild. Gale described Bigchild as a small woman, about 80 lbs, "stepped in addictions" and has been on the streets of Edmonton for some time.."We have her ID we just haven't been able to locate her," Gale told the Western Standard..The Bear Clan Beaver Hills House mandate is to "foster community respect and awareness through a caring, dignified, compassionate, and committed relationship with vulnerable Edmonton residents.".The patrol is a community-based initiative to help provide a sense of safety, solidarity, and belonging to both its members and the community at large..Gale said she believes the video captured "brutal behaviour from someone of authority" as the police officer disarms the woman in the video with a huge shove.."The status quo has been allowed to continue this way and is entrenched in the makeup of the EPS," Gale said..However, social media users claim the EPS officer was just doing his job and protecting the community. According to Gale, the woman in the video has been in trouble with the law.."They deem her as a frequent flyer, so they don't have any respect for her, in my opinion," Gale said..Gale believes the EPS "are comfortable doing things a certain way" and doesn't accept the EPS' statement about the incident.."They have been able to get away with it for far too long, I think their humanity is out the window," Gale said.."What if that little woman had been one of their mothers or one of their sisters? One of their aunties? Would they still condone that kind of behaviour?" Gale asked..Gale called on police to release CCTV video they have of the arrest, but EPS said it would not make it public.
A small group gathered outside the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) headquarters in downtown Edmonton over the weekend to protest "the use of force," during the arrest of a woman last week..On Friday, the Western Standard shared a video of an officer pushing an woman to the ground who was allegedly "brandishing a knife.".READ MORE: WATCH: EPS officer shown shoving woman 'brandishing a knife'.The video shows the EPS officer coming up from behind the woman before exerting a considerable amount of force with a push to the centre of the woman's back..The incident happened Thursday at the intersection of 106 Ave. and 100 St. near Hope Mission where police responded to a weapons complaint.."The officer was driving in the area, and was flagged down by a member of the community who reported that two females, one of whom was armed with a knife, were about to fight," said EPS in a statement..On Sunday, a small group gathered outside of EPS headquarters downtown to protest what they're calling the "use of force.".One sign read, "Stop brutalizing indigenous brothers and sisters.".Social media erupted over the weekend with people defending the officer's actions, however, some people from the protest claim the shove by the EPS officer was "gross behaviour.".Judith Gale with the Bear Clan Beaver Hills House in Edmonton and identified the Cree woman from the video as 47-year-old Melanie Bigchild. Gale described Bigchild as a small woman, about 80 lbs, "stepped in addictions" and has been on the streets of Edmonton for some time.."We have her ID we just haven't been able to locate her," Gale told the Western Standard..The Bear Clan Beaver Hills House mandate is to "foster community respect and awareness through a caring, dignified, compassionate, and committed relationship with vulnerable Edmonton residents.".The patrol is a community-based initiative to help provide a sense of safety, solidarity, and belonging to both its members and the community at large..Gale said she believes the video captured "brutal behaviour from someone of authority" as the police officer disarms the woman in the video with a huge shove.."The status quo has been allowed to continue this way and is entrenched in the makeup of the EPS," Gale said..However, social media users claim the EPS officer was just doing his job and protecting the community. According to Gale, the woman in the video has been in trouble with the law.."They deem her as a frequent flyer, so they don't have any respect for her, in my opinion," Gale said..Gale believes the EPS "are comfortable doing things a certain way" and doesn't accept the EPS' statement about the incident.."They have been able to get away with it for far too long, I think their humanity is out the window," Gale said.."What if that little woman had been one of their mothers or one of their sisters? One of their aunties? Would they still condone that kind of behaviour?" Gale asked..Gale called on police to release CCTV video they have of the arrest, but EPS said it would not make it public.
