Black Lives Matter-Ugliness of Racism.
- Thread starter Ocean Breeze
- Start date
Apparently, bomb threats to historically Black colleges and universities are way up.
Because Conservatives are such nice, open-minded, tolerant folk.
It's why they called Birmingham, Alabama "Bombingham" in the 60s.
Because Conservatives are such nice, open-minded, tolerant folk.
It's why they called Birmingham, Alabama "Bombingham" in the 60s.
BLACK LIVES MATTER: EXAMINER INVESTIGATES
BLM accounting gimmick further delays disclosure of its $60M bankroll
by Andrew Kerr, Investigative Reporter || February 16, 2022 08:18 AM
The national organization for Black Lives Matter appears to have used an unusual accounting maneuver to further delay reporting what became of its $60 million bankroll from 2020, a move one charity watchdog called "the worst transparency issue" she has ever seen.
Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, the charity that serves as the face of the national BLM movement, quietly changed its 12-month accounting cycle to July through June. By going from a calendar to a fiscal year, BLM has until mid-May to report what it did with the millions that flooded into its coffers beginning in the second half of 2020. The move enabled BLM to report a sparse, short-year Form 990 to the IRS that covered its activities during only the first half of 2020, when the entity was entirely dormant as a fiscally sponsored project of the California charity Thousand Currents. It was also the period just before BLM exploded as a cause celeb following George Floyd's racially charged death.
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BLM likely paid a substantial amount in contracting fees in 2020. The charity reported to the IRS in August 2020, when it applied for tax-exempt status, that it expected to incur precisely $12,706,366 in "Professional Fees" expenditures in 2020.
All three key BLM stakeholders that were in control of the charity before Patrisse Cullors resigned in May 2021 were closely tied to or were in direct control of consulting firms that claimed to do business with BLM.
The father of Cullors's only child, Damon Turner, runs Trap Heals, a California-based art company that used to serve as BLM's "lead developer of the art & cultural efforts," according to business records previously reported by the Daily Caller. BLM's political action committee paid Trap Heals nearly $150,000 to co-produce an election night live stream in November 2020 mired with technical problems that industry experts said should have cost a fraction of the price to produce.
Cullors owns a consulting firm called Janaya and Patrisse Consulting, through which she received payments upward of $20,000 a month in 2019 from Reform LA Jails, a Los Angeles-based jail reform group Cullors used to lead.
Bowers runs a consulting firm called Bowers Consulting, which lists BLM as a client on its website. Bowers has served as the treasurer for numerous organizations run by Cullors, including Reform LA Jails and BLM PAC. Bowers also listed his Bowers Consulting email address in BLM's most recent charity registration submitted to New Mexico identified Bowers as the individual authorized to sign checks on behalf of the charity.
BLM board member Raymond Howard used to state on his LinkedIn account that he served as finance and operations manager of New Impact Partners, a Dayton, Ohio-based consulting firm owned by his sister. A website for New Impact Partners also named BLM as one of its clients, but the reference was removed from the site in late January after the Washington Examiner inquired BLM about its relationship with the firm.
Howard also deleted the reference to New Impact Partners from his LinkedIn account in late January after being contacted by the Washington Examiner in late January.
BLM'S MILLIONS UNACCOUNTED FOR AFTER LEADERS QUIETLY JUMPED SHIP
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BLM Organizer Convicted on 20 Counts of Possessing Child Porn.
by Natalie Winters
February 16, 2022
Don’t judge a book by its cover , or something like that . I mean if one man carries a confederate flag to a rally it must be a gathering of the Klan .
Family of Black teen arrested at New Jersey mall hires George Floyd attorney Benjamin Crump
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Publishing date:Feb 17, 2022 • 12 hours ago • 1 minute read • 5 Comments
Bridgewater Commons Mall in New Jersey.
Bridgewater Commons Mall in New Jersey. PHOTO BY SCREEN GRAB /Google Street View
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The family of a Black teenager who was pinned to the ground and arrested by New Jersey police following a fight with a white teenager at a local mall has retained the attorney in the George Floyd wrongful death case, Benjamin Crump, to represent them.
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“This is another example of the kind of racial bias that we need to root out of our system of policing,” Crump said in a written statement on Thursday.
A video that went viral on social media showed two teenagers fighting in a sitting area at the Bridgewater Commons Mall last weekend when the two officers arrived. One officer sat the white teen on a couch while the other threw the Black teen to the ground, placed his knee on his back and handcuffed him.
Crump said the officer pinned down his client, eighth grader Z’Kye Husain, and handcuffed him because officers believed his skin colour made him more of a threat than the white teen involved in the scuffle.
“We have requested that the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office assist us in this matter and are requesting patience as we strictly adhere to the New Jersey Attorney General’s Internal Affairs Directive (regarding such cases),” the Bridgewater Township Police Department said.
The white teenager who fought with Husain was apparently not taken into custody at the scene. Police have not identified him.
“I’m deeply disturbed by what appears to be racially disparate treatment in this video,” New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said on Twitter on Wednesday.
The use of force by police against young Black men has prompted calls for reforms nationwide.
Floyd, 46, died in May 2020 under the knee of then-Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin as he was being arrested on suspicion of passing a counterfeit bill, a case that touched off a summer of street protests in major U.S. cities.
Chauvin was convicted of murder in 2021 and sentenced to 22-1/2 years in prison.
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Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Publishing date:Feb 17, 2022 • 12 hours ago • 1 minute read • 5 Comments
Bridgewater Commons Mall in New Jersey.
Bridgewater Commons Mall in New Jersey. PHOTO BY SCREEN GRAB /Google Street View
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The family of a Black teenager who was pinned to the ground and arrested by New Jersey police following a fight with a white teenager at a local mall has retained the attorney in the George Floyd wrongful death case, Benjamin Crump, to represent them.
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“This is another example of the kind of racial bias that we need to root out of our system of policing,” Crump said in a written statement on Thursday.
A video that went viral on social media showed two teenagers fighting in a sitting area at the Bridgewater Commons Mall last weekend when the two officers arrived. One officer sat the white teen on a couch while the other threw the Black teen to the ground, placed his knee on his back and handcuffed him.
Crump said the officer pinned down his client, eighth grader Z’Kye Husain, and handcuffed him because officers believed his skin colour made him more of a threat than the white teen involved in the scuffle.
“We have requested that the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office assist us in this matter and are requesting patience as we strictly adhere to the New Jersey Attorney General’s Internal Affairs Directive (regarding such cases),” the Bridgewater Township Police Department said.
The white teenager who fought with Husain was apparently not taken into custody at the scene. Police have not identified him.
“I’m deeply disturbed by what appears to be racially disparate treatment in this video,” New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said on Twitter on Wednesday.
The use of force by police against young Black men has prompted calls for reforms nationwide.
Floyd, 46, died in May 2020 under the knee of then-Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin as he was being arrested on suspicion of passing a counterfeit bill, a case that touched off a summer of street protests in major U.S. cities.
Chauvin was convicted of murder in 2021 and sentenced to 22-1/2 years in prison.
Police response to mall fight prompts outrage, investigation into treatment of Black teen
A viral video of police responding to a fight between two teenagers at a mall in New Jersey has drawn outrage over the officer’s apparent treatment of the Black teen.
Video showing how police treat Black and White teens in mall fight sparks outrage | CNN
A video showing police officers breaking up a fight between a Black teenager and a White teenager at a New Jersey mall has prompted outrage over the police response.
Family of Black teen arrested at New Jersey mall hires George Floyd attorney Benjamin Crump
The family of a Black teenager who was pinned to the ground and arrested by New Jersey police following a fight with a white teenager at a local mall has retained t…
Amazon suspends Black Lives Matter from charity platform
Author of the article
enette Wilford
Publishing date:Feb 18, 2022 • 15 hours ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
A Black Lives Matter flag waves in front of a fire at the North Precinct Police building in Portland, Oregon on September 6, 2020. - Protestors are marching for an end to racial inequality and police violence. Aaron Danielson, 39, a supporter of a far-right group called Patriot Prayer, was fatally shot August 29, 2020, in Portland, Oregon after he joined pro-Trump supporters who descended on the western US city, sparking confrontations with Black Lives Matter counter-protesters. (Photo by ALLISON DINNER/AFP via Getty Images)
A Black Lives Matter flag waves in front of a fire at the North Precinct Police building in Portland, Oregon on September 6, 2020. - Protestors are marching for an end to racial inequality and police violence. Aaron Danielson, 39, a supporter of a far-right group called Patriot Prayer, was fatally shot August 29, 2020, in Portland, Oregon after he joined pro-Trump supporters who descended on the western US city, sparking confrontations with Black Lives Matter counter-protesters. (Photo by ALLISON DINNER/AFP via Getty Images) PHOTO BY ALLISON DINNER/AFP /Getty Images
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Black Lives Matter has been booted from Amazon’s charity platform.
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The BLM Global Network Foundation has failed to disclose where tens of millions of dollars received nearly two years ago wound up, the New York Post reports.
AmazonSmile, which contributes a portion of eligible purchases to charities and has raised more than $300 million, “had to temporarily suspend” the group today, an Amazon spokesperson told the paper.
“States have rules for non-profits, and organizations participating in AmazonSmile need to meet those rules,” the spokesperson explained. “Unfortunately this organization fell out of compliance with the rules in several states, so we’ve had to temporarily suspend them from the program until they come into compliance.”
Any funds earmarked for the BLM Global Network Foundation will be held “until they’re back in compliance,” according to the spokesperson.
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BLM’s non-profit took in more than $65 million in donations in October 2020 from Thousand Currents, a charity that provides grants to grassroots organizations, according to documents filed with the California attorney general and obtained by the Post.
Earlier this month, BLMGNF released its late federal tax filing, but revised the accounting period from a calendar year to a fiscal year.
As a result, the filing shows no contributions or grants during the reporting period from January to June 2020. The remainder of the year should show up in its next filing.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC
An Instagram image of Patrisse Khan-Cullors, a co-founder of Black Lives Matter Global Foundation Network (BLMGFN).
Black Lives Matter finances scrutinized
A Black Lives Matter activist attends a protest against police brutality on April 17, 2021 in Columbus, Ohio.
ELDER: BLM co-founder cashes in on systemic racism
Patrisse Cullors.
Black Lives Matter co-founder resigns amid criticism about her lifestyle
BLM has yet to divulge where the money is or went but Amazon isn’t the first to question its whereabouts.
Several states have revoked its ability to collect donations including California, where the foundation is based.
The state’s Department of Justice warned foundation leaders earlier this month that they would be “personally liable” for any delinquency fees and fines.
nypost.com
torontosun.com
Author of the article
enette WilfordPublishing date:Feb 18, 2022 • 15 hours ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
A Black Lives Matter flag waves in front of a fire at the North Precinct Police building in Portland, Oregon on September 6, 2020. - Protestors are marching for an end to racial inequality and police violence. Aaron Danielson, 39, a supporter of a far-right group called Patriot Prayer, was fatally shot August 29, 2020, in Portland, Oregon after he joined pro-Trump supporters who descended on the western US city, sparking confrontations with Black Lives Matter counter-protesters. (Photo by ALLISON DINNER/AFP via Getty Images)
A Black Lives Matter flag waves in front of a fire at the North Precinct Police building in Portland, Oregon on September 6, 2020. - Protestors are marching for an end to racial inequality and police violence. Aaron Danielson, 39, a supporter of a far-right group called Patriot Prayer, was fatally shot August 29, 2020, in Portland, Oregon after he joined pro-Trump supporters who descended on the western US city, sparking confrontations with Black Lives Matter counter-protesters. (Photo by ALLISON DINNER/AFP via Getty Images) PHOTO BY ALLISON DINNER/AFP /Getty Images
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Black Lives Matter has been booted from Amazon’s charity platform.
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The BLM Global Network Foundation has failed to disclose where tens of millions of dollars received nearly two years ago wound up, the New York Post reports.
AmazonSmile, which contributes a portion of eligible purchases to charities and has raised more than $300 million, “had to temporarily suspend” the group today, an Amazon spokesperson told the paper.
“States have rules for non-profits, and organizations participating in AmazonSmile need to meet those rules,” the spokesperson explained. “Unfortunately this organization fell out of compliance with the rules in several states, so we’ve had to temporarily suspend them from the program until they come into compliance.”
Any funds earmarked for the BLM Global Network Foundation will be held “until they’re back in compliance,” according to the spokesperson.
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
BLM’s non-profit took in more than $65 million in donations in October 2020 from Thousand Currents, a charity that provides grants to grassroots organizations, according to documents filed with the California attorney general and obtained by the Post.
Earlier this month, BLMGNF released its late federal tax filing, but revised the accounting period from a calendar year to a fiscal year.
As a result, the filing shows no contributions or grants during the reporting period from January to June 2020. The remainder of the year should show up in its next filing.
An Instagram image of Patrisse Khan-Cullors, a co-founder of Black Lives Matter Global Foundation Network (BLMGFN).
Black Lives Matter finances scrutinized
A Black Lives Matter activist attends a protest against police brutality on April 17, 2021 in Columbus, Ohio.
ELDER: BLM co-founder cashes in on systemic racism
Patrisse Cullors.
Black Lives Matter co-founder resigns amid criticism about her lifestyle
BLM has yet to divulge where the money is or went but Amazon isn’t the first to question its whereabouts.
Several states have revoked its ability to collect donations including California, where the foundation is based.
The state’s Department of Justice warned foundation leaders earlier this month that they would be “personally liable” for any delinquency fees and fines.
Amazon suspends Black Lives Matter from its charity platform
Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation has been kicked off Amazon’s charity platform for its failure to disclose where tens of millions in donations it received ended up.
nypost.com
Amazon suspends Black Lives Matter from charity platform
Black Lives Matter has been booted from Amazon’s charity platform for failing to disclose where tens of millions of dollars wound up.
Portland police say clash between armed homeowner, protesters sparked shooting
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Publishing date:Feb 20, 2022 • 18 hours ago • 2 minute read • Join the conversation
A police officer views the crime scene, where according to the Portland Police Bureau one person was shot dead and five others were wounded, at Normandale Park in Portland, Oregon, U.S., February 19, 2022.
A police officer views the crime scene, where according to the Portland Police Bureau one person was shot dead and five others were wounded, at Normandale Park in Portland, Oregon, U.S., February 19, 2022. PHOTO BY MATHIEU LEWIS-ROLLAND /REUTERS
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Police in Portland, Oregon, said they believe a shooting that left one woman dead and five people wounded at a protest over police violence on Saturday night was triggered by a clash between an armed homeowner and armed demonstrators.
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The shooting took place as people gathered in northeast Portland on Saturday to protest the death of Amir Locke, the 22-year-old fatally shot earlier this month by law enforcement in Minneapolis during a no-knock apartment raid.
The Portland Police Bureau said in a statement on Sunday that a preliminary investigation indicated the incident “started with a confrontation between an armed homeowner and armed protesters” but that detectives were still struggling to gather evidence.
In an online briefing on Sunday afternoon, department spokesperson Nathan Sheppard said detectives believe numerous people either saw the shooting or recorded it on their phones but have not cooperated with police.
The police said they found one woman dead when they arrived at the scene in the Rose City Park neighbourhood on Saturday night. They have not identified the deceased or the five wounded people who were taken to area hospitals for treatment.
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Protesters at Normandale Park were getting ready to march when a man who lives close by confronted them and later opened fire, striking multiple people, the Oregonian reported on Sunday, citing a source with direct knowledge of the investigation.
The Portland-based newspaper said that at least one protester shot back at the man who had opened fire. Of the five wounded in the incident, the man is one of three people who suffered life-threatening injuries, the newspaper said.
The police believe the man acted alone and is not affiliated with any political group, the Oregonian said.
The protester who shot back at the man was initially arrested on assault and weapons charges but will likely be released and the charges dropped, the newspaper said.
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During the news briefing, Sheppard declined to offer any details on the investigation, including whether anyone has been arrested in connection with the shooting. Pressed on why he would not confirm or deny an arrest, Shepperd said it would be “irresponsible” due to the “complicated” nature of the incident.
Portland was rocked by months of anti-racism protests following the death of George Floyd, an African-American who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes in May 2020.
The city has also been a magnet for clashes between political extremists, with violent skirmishes breaking out between people associated with the far-right Proud Boys and members of antifa, the loosely organized anti-fascist movement.
Like many other big U.S. cities, Portland has seen a spike in murders over the past two years, a phenomenon experts have attributed partly to the social disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Publishing date:Feb 20, 2022 • 18 hours ago • 2 minute read • Join the conversation
A police officer views the crime scene, where according to the Portland Police Bureau one person was shot dead and five others were wounded, at Normandale Park in Portland, Oregon, U.S., February 19, 2022.
A police officer views the crime scene, where according to the Portland Police Bureau one person was shot dead and five others were wounded, at Normandale Park in Portland, Oregon, U.S., February 19, 2022. PHOTO BY MATHIEU LEWIS-ROLLAND /REUTERS
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Police in Portland, Oregon, said they believe a shooting that left one woman dead and five people wounded at a protest over police violence on Saturday night was triggered by a clash between an armed homeowner and armed demonstrators.
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
The shooting took place as people gathered in northeast Portland on Saturday to protest the death of Amir Locke, the 22-year-old fatally shot earlier this month by law enforcement in Minneapolis during a no-knock apartment raid.
The Portland Police Bureau said in a statement on Sunday that a preliminary investigation indicated the incident “started with a confrontation between an armed homeowner and armed protesters” but that detectives were still struggling to gather evidence.
In an online briefing on Sunday afternoon, department spokesperson Nathan Sheppard said detectives believe numerous people either saw the shooting or recorded it on their phones but have not cooperated with police.
The police said they found one woman dead when they arrived at the scene in the Rose City Park neighbourhood on Saturday night. They have not identified the deceased or the five wounded people who were taken to area hospitals for treatment.
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Protesters at Normandale Park were getting ready to march when a man who lives close by confronted them and later opened fire, striking multiple people, the Oregonian reported on Sunday, citing a source with direct knowledge of the investigation.
The Portland-based newspaper said that at least one protester shot back at the man who had opened fire. Of the five wounded in the incident, the man is one of three people who suffered life-threatening injuries, the newspaper said.
The police believe the man acted alone and is not affiliated with any political group, the Oregonian said.
The protester who shot back at the man was initially arrested on assault and weapons charges but will likely be released and the charges dropped, the newspaper said.
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Article content
During the news briefing, Sheppard declined to offer any details on the investigation, including whether anyone has been arrested in connection with the shooting. Pressed on why he would not confirm or deny an arrest, Shepperd said it would be “irresponsible” due to the “complicated” nature of the incident.
Portland was rocked by months of anti-racism protests following the death of George Floyd, an African-American who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes in May 2020.
The city has also been a magnet for clashes between political extremists, with violent skirmishes breaking out between people associated with the far-right Proud Boys and members of antifa, the loosely organized anti-fascist movement.
Like many other big U.S. cities, Portland has seen a spike in murders over the past two years, a phenomenon experts have attributed partly to the social disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Portland police say clash between armed homeowner, protesters sparked shooting
Police in Portland, Oregon, said they believe a shooting that left one woman dead and five people wounded at a protest over police violence on Saturday night was tr…
Loved ones of Black man killed by Calgary cop refute police claims he attacked service dog
"This is a serious issue. Systemic racism is rife and alive in our society," a friend of Latjor Tuel said
Author of the article:Michael Rodriguez
Publishing date:Feb 21, 2022 • 1 day ago • 4 minute read • 15 Comments
Community members and family gathered at the Somali Canadian Society Of Calgary to express their concerns on how police shot and killed Latjor Tuel in Calgary on Monday, February 21, 2022.
Community members and family gathered at the Somali Canadian Society Of Calgary to express their concerns on how police shot and killed Latjor Tuel in Calgary on Monday, February 21, 2022. PHOTO BY DARREN MAKOWICHUK /DARREN MAKOWICHUK/Postmedia
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Family and friends of a Black man killed by Calgary police are raising questions about the official accounts of his death.
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Cann raises nearly $35 million as it launches in Canada
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Calgary police fatally shot Latjor Tuel on Saturday after he allegedly attacked a police service dog while officers attempted to apprehend him near a bus stop on 17th Avenue S.E. in Forest Lawn. Video of the incident, which Postmedia has chosen not to publish due to its graphic nature, shows an officer fire four shots as Tuel struggles with the dog. Tuel died of his wounds on scene.
“How dehumanizing that be? (It tells you) they value the life of the police dog more than the Black man,” said Charles Odame-Ankrah, a friend of Tuel’s and one of several speakers at a Monday media availability put on by the Calgary African Community Collective.
“This is a serious issue. Systemic racism is rife and alive in our society.”
Tuel, a South Sudanese refugee who had lived in Calgary for roughly 20 years, was described by family and friends at the event as having suffered from severe post-traumatic stress disorder related to his time as a child soldier in his home country. He had long been financially supporting family members who still live in South Sudan.
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Several speakers refuted the police version of events, saying Tuel was “simply waiting for the bus” and the item police called a weapon was a retractable cane he used to help him walk due to issues with his knee. His reaction in hitting the dog, they said, was in self-defence and didn’t warrant his death.
“I want to ask all of you here; (would you) stay and put your hands in your pockets when somebody’s unleashed a K-9 dog on you?” said Odame-Ankrah. “Naturally, you go into defence. It’s a natural human reaction.”
Loved ones reiterated Tuel’s struggles with his mental health, referencing his PTSD and struggles in recent days. Regardless of his mental state, they say police had other options that wouldn’t have resulted in Tuel’s death. Police efforts to resolve the situation without violence were not enough, they said.
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“The important thing that could have been done differently by the (police) would be to help him rather than to shoot and kill,” said Nhial Wicleek, a longtime friend of Tuel’s.
Lina Atak, an advocate for the Sudanese community who witnessed the altercation, said the information released by police and amplified by local media has vilified Tuel, painting him as an unstable criminal.
“What I would like to correct is the message that has been put out there to demonize our brother, to criminalize him as a bad person,” she said.
“Our brother was not a criminal and he was not a danger to society. He was not a danger to the community . . . He was simply a Calgarian enjoying a meal as he waited for the bus.”
In a Saturday evening news release, the Calgary Police Service said officers were called around 3:40 p.m. for reports of a man in possession of weapons. Police say witnesses reported the man had assaulted a bystander and was threatening others.
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When they arrived, police said they found the man still holding a weapon and were unsuccessful in trying to negotiate a peaceful resolution. A brief struggle ensued between Tuel and a police dog, with police alleging Tuel seriously injured the dog before they shot him. The dog was taken to an animal hospital following the altercation and was in stable condition Saturday evening.
The provincial police watchdog, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, is investigating the shooting. As of Monday evening, ASIRT had not released further information.
Monday’s event followed a gathering of community members Sunday at the site of the shooting. Several people close to Tuel laid flowers on the ground near the spot where he died.
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“He’s a very kind gentleman, generous, and very well known in the community. This is really affecting the community,” said Khor Top, president of the local South Sudanese Community Association.
“It’s been very difficult . . . We’re trying to look into what really happened.”
Calgary lawyer Amy Matychuk with Prison & Police Law said the shooting is just the latest to call into question whether police should attend calls for people in mental-health crisis.
“It’s hard not to wonder what would have happened if there could have been some kind of mental-health first response team that could have been called instead of the police,” Matychuk said.
She added police should publicly field questions on their decision to use police dogs and discharge their firearms while responding to this call.
The Calgary police commission meets Wednesday, with commissioners expected to question police officials on the Saturday shooting. Officers at the scene Saturday wouldn’t comment on the situation and the force said in its statement that no further information was available.
Tuel’s family is planning to start a GoFundMe to assist his loved ones locally and the ones he supported abroad. Details of that fundraiser are expected to be released by the Calgary African Community Collective in the coming days.
— With files from Jason Herring
mrodriguez@postmedia.com
Twitter: @michaelrdrguez
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torontosun.com
"This is a serious issue. Systemic racism is rife and alive in our society," a friend of Latjor Tuel said
Author of the article:Michael Rodriguez
Publishing date:Feb 21, 2022 • 1 day ago • 4 minute read • 15 Comments
Community members and family gathered at the Somali Canadian Society Of Calgary to express their concerns on how police shot and killed Latjor Tuel in Calgary on Monday, February 21, 2022.
Community members and family gathered at the Somali Canadian Society Of Calgary to express their concerns on how police shot and killed Latjor Tuel in Calgary on Monday, February 21, 2022. PHOTO BY DARREN MAKOWICHUK /DARREN MAKOWICHUK/Postmedia
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Family and friends of a Black man killed by Calgary police are raising questions about the official accounts of his death.
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Cann raises nearly $35 million as it launches in Canada
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Calgary police fatally shot Latjor Tuel on Saturday after he allegedly attacked a police service dog while officers attempted to apprehend him near a bus stop on 17th Avenue S.E. in Forest Lawn. Video of the incident, which Postmedia has chosen not to publish due to its graphic nature, shows an officer fire four shots as Tuel struggles with the dog. Tuel died of his wounds on scene.
“How dehumanizing that be? (It tells you) they value the life of the police dog more than the Black man,” said Charles Odame-Ankrah, a friend of Tuel’s and one of several speakers at a Monday media availability put on by the Calgary African Community Collective.
“This is a serious issue. Systemic racism is rife and alive in our society.”
Tuel, a South Sudanese refugee who had lived in Calgary for roughly 20 years, was described by family and friends at the event as having suffered from severe post-traumatic stress disorder related to his time as a child soldier in his home country. He had long been financially supporting family members who still live in South Sudan.
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Article content
Several speakers refuted the police version of events, saying Tuel was “simply waiting for the bus” and the item police called a weapon was a retractable cane he used to help him walk due to issues with his knee. His reaction in hitting the dog, they said, was in self-defence and didn’t warrant his death.
“I want to ask all of you here; (would you) stay and put your hands in your pockets when somebody’s unleashed a K-9 dog on you?” said Odame-Ankrah. “Naturally, you go into defence. It’s a natural human reaction.”
Loved ones reiterated Tuel’s struggles with his mental health, referencing his PTSD and struggles in recent days. Regardless of his mental state, they say police had other options that wouldn’t have resulted in Tuel’s death. Police efforts to resolve the situation without violence were not enough, they said.
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Article content
“The important thing that could have been done differently by the (police) would be to help him rather than to shoot and kill,” said Nhial Wicleek, a longtime friend of Tuel’s.
Lina Atak, an advocate for the Sudanese community who witnessed the altercation, said the information released by police and amplified by local media has vilified Tuel, painting him as an unstable criminal.
“What I would like to correct is the message that has been put out there to demonize our brother, to criminalize him as a bad person,” she said.
“Our brother was not a criminal and he was not a danger to society. He was not a danger to the community . . . He was simply a Calgarian enjoying a meal as he waited for the bus.”
In a Saturday evening news release, the Calgary Police Service said officers were called around 3:40 p.m. for reports of a man in possession of weapons. Police say witnesses reported the man had assaulted a bystander and was threatening others.
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
When they arrived, police said they found the man still holding a weapon and were unsuccessful in trying to negotiate a peaceful resolution. A brief struggle ensued between Tuel and a police dog, with police alleging Tuel seriously injured the dog before they shot him. The dog was taken to an animal hospital following the altercation and was in stable condition Saturday evening.
The provincial police watchdog, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, is investigating the shooting. As of Monday evening, ASIRT had not released further information.
Monday’s event followed a gathering of community members Sunday at the site of the shooting. Several people close to Tuel laid flowers on the ground near the spot where he died.
Advertisement
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Article content
“He’s a very kind gentleman, generous, and very well known in the community. This is really affecting the community,” said Khor Top, president of the local South Sudanese Community Association.
“It’s been very difficult . . . We’re trying to look into what really happened.”
Calgary lawyer Amy Matychuk with Prison & Police Law said the shooting is just the latest to call into question whether police should attend calls for people in mental-health crisis.
“It’s hard not to wonder what would have happened if there could have been some kind of mental-health first response team that could have been called instead of the police,” Matychuk said.
She added police should publicly field questions on their decision to use police dogs and discharge their firearms while responding to this call.
The Calgary police commission meets Wednesday, with commissioners expected to question police officials on the Saturday shooting. Officers at the scene Saturday wouldn’t comment on the situation and the force said in its statement that no further information was available.
Tuel’s family is planning to start a GoFundMe to assist his loved ones locally and the ones he supported abroad. Details of that fundraiser are expected to be released by the Calgary African Community Collective in the coming days.
— With files from Jason Herring
mrodriguez@postmedia.com
Twitter: @michaelrdrguez
Calgary police shoot man dead on 17th Avenue S.E. in Forest Lawn
The man, identified by friends as Latjor Tuel, died after an altercation with police where he allegedly attacked a police service dog.
Loved ones of Black man killed by Calgary officer refute police claims
Family and friends said Lajtor Tuel was waiting for the bus and the item police called a weapon was a cane he used to help him walk.
Ummm. . . yeah? What's your point?
To be fair, they'd probably slaughter a roomful of people of any color if they felt a police dog was in danger.
Or a police car.
Or a police jacket.
Or a police cruller.
‘JUST HUMILIATING’: Black woman accuses Delta of moving her to back of plane for white passengers
Author of the articleenette Wilford
Publishing date:Mar 01, 2022 • 13 hours ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
A Delta airlines aircraft landing from Los Angeles at Kingsford Smith International airport on October 31, 2021 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by James D. Morgan/Getty Images)
A Delta airlines aircraft landing from Los Angeles at Kingsford Smith International airport on October 31, 2021 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by James D. Morgan/Getty Images) PHOTO BY JAMES D. MORGAN /Getty Images
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A Black woman from California claims she was forced to move to the back row of her Delta flight to make room for two white women.
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Camille Henderson was travelling to California from Atlanta on Delta Air Lines last month when she was hit with the odd request, reported KGO.
Henderson was in a window seat in row 15 when two women seated in the row next to her, in the aisle and middle seats, complained about their seat assignment.
“They felt like they were ticketed first-class seats, but they couldn’t provide the tickets,” Henderson told the news outlet, adding that they complained about it for more than an hour.
Delta’s flight attendants’ solution? Move Henderson to the back of the plane, so the woman could have more space.
Once a flight attendant determined Henderson was flying alone, she was assigned a seat in the last row.
Henderson, who said the crew did not ask the women to move themselves, reluctantly agreed to go to the back row, according to the outlet.
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A Delta Air Lines employee works on the departures level at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on August 25, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Mom blasts Delta over booking options for non-binary child
A Delta Air Lines Airbus A350-900 takes off from Sydney Airport in Sydney, Australia, October 28, 2020.
'STOP THIS PLANE': Delta flight diverted after passenger tries to breach cockpit
A wild brawl on a Spirit Airways flight from New Jersey to Puerto Rico was captured by a passenger when the aircraft landed in San Juan, where a woman who reportedly refused to wear a mask was tasered by police.
Racist tirade allegedly leads to brawl on New Jersey flight to Puerto Rico
She complained to a Delta customer service representative who didn’t understand Henderson’s complaint, even suggesting there was no inconvenience since she was moved to another aisle seat in economy.
A Delta Airlines spokesperson issued a statement to the outlet.
“We are looking into this situation to better understand what happened. Delta has no tolerance for discrimination in any form and these allegations run counter to our deeply-held values of respecting and honouring the diversity of our customers.”
Henderson, however, vowed to “never again” fly Delta.
“Me, as a Black woman, I was displaced to make two white women comfortable,” she said. “I just want them to acknowledge that they made me feel powerless, and they can’t do that to customers moving forward.”
abc7news.com
torontosun.com
Author of the article
enette WilfordPublishing date:Mar 01, 2022 • 13 hours ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
A Delta airlines aircraft landing from Los Angeles at Kingsford Smith International airport on October 31, 2021 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by James D. Morgan/Getty Images)
A Delta airlines aircraft landing from Los Angeles at Kingsford Smith International airport on October 31, 2021 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by James D. Morgan/Getty Images) PHOTO BY JAMES D. MORGAN /Getty Images
Article content
A Black woman from California claims she was forced to move to the back row of her Delta flight to make room for two white women.
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STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
Camille Henderson was travelling to California from Atlanta on Delta Air Lines last month when she was hit with the odd request, reported KGO.
Henderson was in a window seat in row 15 when two women seated in the row next to her, in the aisle and middle seats, complained about their seat assignment.
“They felt like they were ticketed first-class seats, but they couldn’t provide the tickets,” Henderson told the news outlet, adding that they complained about it for more than an hour.
Delta’s flight attendants’ solution? Move Henderson to the back of the plane, so the woman could have more space.
Once a flight attendant determined Henderson was flying alone, she was assigned a seat in the last row.
Henderson, who said the crew did not ask the women to move themselves, reluctantly agreed to go to the back row, according to the outlet.
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STORY CONTINUES BELOW
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A Delta Air Lines employee works on the departures level at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on August 25, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Mom blasts Delta over booking options for non-binary child
A Delta Air Lines Airbus A350-900 takes off from Sydney Airport in Sydney, Australia, October 28, 2020.
'STOP THIS PLANE': Delta flight diverted after passenger tries to breach cockpit
A wild brawl on a Spirit Airways flight from New Jersey to Puerto Rico was captured by a passenger when the aircraft landed in San Juan, where a woman who reportedly refused to wear a mask was tasered by police.
Racist tirade allegedly leads to brawl on New Jersey flight to Puerto Rico
She complained to a Delta customer service representative who didn’t understand Henderson’s complaint, even suggesting there was no inconvenience since she was moved to another aisle seat in economy.
A Delta Airlines spokesperson issued a statement to the outlet.
“We are looking into this situation to better understand what happened. Delta has no tolerance for discrimination in any form and these allegations run counter to our deeply-held values of respecting and honouring the diversity of our customers.”
Henderson, however, vowed to “never again” fly Delta.
“Me, as a Black woman, I was displaced to make two white women comfortable,” she said. “I just want them to acknowledge that they made me feel powerless, and they can’t do that to customers moving forward.”
Black Alameda woman forced to move for white Delta passengers says: 'made me feel powerless'
"Me, as a Black woman, I was displaced to make two white women comfortable. That doesn't make any sense to me."
‘JUST HUMILIATING’: Black woman accuses Delta of moving her to back of plane for white passengers
A Black woman from California claims she was forced to move to the back row of her Delta flight to make room for two white women.
Migrant-worker DNA sweep that solved sex attack clearly 'discrimination': Lawyer
Skin colour was the main reason close to 100 local migrant workers were targeted, a human-rights hearing was told
Author of the article:Jonathan Juha
Publishing date:Mar 01, 2022 • 16 hours ago • 3 minute read
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Skin colour was the main reason close to 100 local migrant workers were targeted in a DNA sweep as police investigated a violent sexual assault, the lawyer representing several of them argued at a human-rights hearing Tuesday.
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Cann raises nearly $35 million as it launches in Canada
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The counsel representing 54 foreign workers made that argument during closing submissions at a Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario hearing over the Ontario Provincial Police dragnet in Elgin County – a move investigators say helped solve the case, but critics rip as racial profiling.
The controversial DNA sweep was launched after a woman was sexually assaulted at her home in Bayham Township, southeast of London, in fall 2013. She told the OPP she believed her attacker was a migrant worker, in part based on his accent.
The victim also provided “a clear description” of her attacker, including an age range, but police cast a wide net based only on race and country of origin to find a match to crime-scene DNA, Shane Martínez, the pro bono counsel for the workers, argued on Tuesday.
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“The OPP treated all Black and Brown migrant farmworkers they encountered as potential suspects, even those that cannot possibly have been responsible for the crime,” he said.
The suspect, for instance, was described as Black, five-foot-ten to six-feet tall and clean-shaven. Investigators, however, collected samples from workers who were five-foot-two to six-foot-six and 22 to 68 years old and with different types of facial hair, the tribunal heard.
Police also disregarded possible alibis provided by the workers and conducted the DNA tests either way, Martínez said, adding employers told their workers to provide samples and many did so out of fear of losing their jobs.
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An Ontario Provincial Police officer is shown in this Postmedia file photo.
Final arguments loom in human-rights case over police DNA sweep
An Ontario Provincial Police officer is shown in this Postmedia file photo.
Police defend migrant-worker DNA sweep at human rights tribunal
An Ontario Provincial Police officer is shown in this file photo.
'Humiliated': At hearing, migrant worker recalls OPP's DNA sweep
“If it is not racial discrimination for the police to ignore every aspect of a suspect description, except for skin colour and place of origin, and then round up all Black and Brown people in any given community as part of a police investigation, including those who cannot possibly be the suspect, then nothing will meet the test for discrimination,” Martínez said.
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Police, however, defended the DNA canvass, saying it was launched based on the information provided by the victim during the initial 911 call to police and a subsequent interview with officers.
“The victim indicated very clearly that the perpetrator was a migrant worker,” likely from a nearby farm, said Christopher Diana, a lawyer representing the OPP.
“This was not based on stereotypes or assumptions. It was based on information available at the time . . . so the OPP was following the evidence, basing their search on information from the victim.”
Diana also defended the police decision to expand the DNA testing beyond migrant workers who met the description of the attacker, arguing witness descriptions in many cases are not accurate.
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Moreover, the attacker wasn’t known to the victim, who had consumed alcohol the day of the assault and suffered significant trauma as a result of the attack. The attacker also wore a hoodie that covered part of his face, Diana said.
“The OPP had good reason to be confident of the general description of a migrant worker,” he said. “But the OPP also knew that the victim’s description of the height, build, age and appearance may not be accurate.”
Officers were also pressed for time to solve the case and needed to move quickly, Diana said, noting harvesting season was ending and they feared the attacker would soon leave Canada. “When these migrant workers got on the plane, the perpetrator in all likelihood wouldn’t be coming back, knowing that there’s a criminal investigation going on,” Diana said.
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After collecting the DNA samples, investigators focused their attention on Henry Cooper, a migrant worker from Trinidad who refused to provide one.
Police would later obtain a DNA sample from Cooper using a discarded cigarette butt. It matched a sample taken from a sexual assault kit. Cooper would later plead guilty to sexual assault with a weapon, forcible confinement and uttering death threats in June 2014 and was sentenced to seven years in prison.
Martínez is seeking $30,000 in damages for each of the workers he’s representing in the case.
If the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario finds there was a violation of the province’s human rights code, another hearing will be scheduled to decide on “non-monetary and systemic remedies” for the migrant workers and prevent similar cases from happening again.
It will likely be several months before a decision is rendered.
jjuha@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/JuhaatLFPress
torontosun.com
Skin colour was the main reason close to 100 local migrant workers were targeted, a human-rights hearing was told
Author of the article:Jonathan Juha
Publishing date:Mar 01, 2022 • 16 hours ago • 3 minute read
opp shoulder
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Skin colour was the main reason close to 100 local migrant workers were targeted in a DNA sweep as police investigated a violent sexual assault, the lawyer representing several of them argued at a human-rights hearing Tuesday.
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STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
Cann raises nearly $35 million as it launches in Canada
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The counsel representing 54 foreign workers made that argument during closing submissions at a Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario hearing over the Ontario Provincial Police dragnet in Elgin County – a move investigators say helped solve the case, but critics rip as racial profiling.
The controversial DNA sweep was launched after a woman was sexually assaulted at her home in Bayham Township, southeast of London, in fall 2013. She told the OPP she believed her attacker was a migrant worker, in part based on his accent.
The victim also provided “a clear description” of her attacker, including an age range, but police cast a wide net based only on race and country of origin to find a match to crime-scene DNA, Shane Martínez, the pro bono counsel for the workers, argued on Tuesday.
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
“The OPP treated all Black and Brown migrant farmworkers they encountered as potential suspects, even those that cannot possibly have been responsible for the crime,” he said.
The suspect, for instance, was described as Black, five-foot-ten to six-feet tall and clean-shaven. Investigators, however, collected samples from workers who were five-foot-two to six-foot-six and 22 to 68 years old and with different types of facial hair, the tribunal heard.
Police also disregarded possible alibis provided by the workers and conducted the DNA tests either way, Martínez said, adding employers told their workers to provide samples and many did so out of fear of losing their jobs.
An Ontario Provincial Police officer is shown in this Postmedia file photo.
Final arguments loom in human-rights case over police DNA sweep
An Ontario Provincial Police officer is shown in this Postmedia file photo.
Police defend migrant-worker DNA sweep at human rights tribunal
An Ontario Provincial Police officer is shown in this file photo.
'Humiliated': At hearing, migrant worker recalls OPP's DNA sweep
“If it is not racial discrimination for the police to ignore every aspect of a suspect description, except for skin colour and place of origin, and then round up all Black and Brown people in any given community as part of a police investigation, including those who cannot possibly be the suspect, then nothing will meet the test for discrimination,” Martínez said.
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
Police, however, defended the DNA canvass, saying it was launched based on the information provided by the victim during the initial 911 call to police and a subsequent interview with officers.
“The victim indicated very clearly that the perpetrator was a migrant worker,” likely from a nearby farm, said Christopher Diana, a lawyer representing the OPP.
“This was not based on stereotypes or assumptions. It was based on information available at the time . . . so the OPP was following the evidence, basing their search on information from the victim.”
Diana also defended the police decision to expand the DNA testing beyond migrant workers who met the description of the attacker, arguing witness descriptions in many cases are not accurate.
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STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
Moreover, the attacker wasn’t known to the victim, who had consumed alcohol the day of the assault and suffered significant trauma as a result of the attack. The attacker also wore a hoodie that covered part of his face, Diana said.
“The OPP had good reason to be confident of the general description of a migrant worker,” he said. “But the OPP also knew that the victim’s description of the height, build, age and appearance may not be accurate.”
Officers were also pressed for time to solve the case and needed to move quickly, Diana said, noting harvesting season was ending and they feared the attacker would soon leave Canada. “When these migrant workers got on the plane, the perpetrator in all likelihood wouldn’t be coming back, knowing that there’s a criminal investigation going on,” Diana said.
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
After collecting the DNA samples, investigators focused their attention on Henry Cooper, a migrant worker from Trinidad who refused to provide one.
Police would later obtain a DNA sample from Cooper using a discarded cigarette butt. It matched a sample taken from a sexual assault kit. Cooper would later plead guilty to sexual assault with a weapon, forcible confinement and uttering death threats in June 2014 and was sentenced to seven years in prison.
Martínez is seeking $30,000 in damages for each of the workers he’s representing in the case.
If the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario finds there was a violation of the province’s human rights code, another hearing will be scheduled to decide on “non-monetary and systemic remedies” for the migrant workers and prevent similar cases from happening again.
It will likely be several months before a decision is rendered.
jjuha@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/JuhaatLFPress
Lawyer: Migrant-worker DNA sweep that helped solve sex attack 'discrimination'
Skin colour was the main reason close to 100 local migrant workers were targeted in a DNA sweep as police investigated a violent sexual assault, the lawyer represen…