Illegal assault’ on First Nations brothers by police caught on video was racist, lawsuit alleges – CBC

Ontario Provincial Police officers accused in lawsuit of falsifying notes to justify arrests

Jul 24, 2020

Ontario Provincial Police officers allegedly falsified their notes to justify a racially influenced violent takedown of two First Nations brothers in Orillia, Ont., that was caught on cellphone video, according to a lawsuit filed in an Ontario court this week.

The lawsuit, seeking $400,000 in damages, names the Ontario government, two identified OPP officers and a number of unknown officers. It was filed in Toronto on Wednesday.

It alleges that the two officers, acting on a report that a “Native male” had fallen off a bicycle, illegally assaulted Randall May, 57, of Nipissing First Nation, and Aaron Keeshig, 50, of Neyaashiinigmiing First Nation.

The lawsuit also alleges that an OPP officer, assigned to investigate a complaint over the incident filed by May, offered to have May’s charges dropped if he abandoned the complaint, according to the statement of claim.

Read More: https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/first-nations-police-video-lawsuit-1.5661097?cmp=rss