Mothers of two fatal police shooting victims gathered today where Jared Lowndes died exactly one year ago.
Laura Holland and Martha Martin joined anti-police-violence organizers from across B.C. outside a Campbell River Tim Hortons to commemorate Lowndes91Ƶ death on July 8, 2021 and to call for change.
91ƵIt91Ƶs been a year of quiet grieving for me,91Ƶ Lowndes91Ƶ mother Laura Holland told the gathering. 91ƵAnd I say quiet grieving. Because I haven91Ƶt been out speaking, haven91Ƶt been out telling people, haven91Ƶt been out telling the world how I feel. I haven91Ƶt been out telling the governments they need to change. It91Ƶs been a year of quiet grief for me. And today that ends.
91ƵI tried my best to respect my people91Ƶs ways. And today, it91Ƶs over. Today starts my year of love and rage.91Ƶ
Martin91Ƶs daughter, Chantel Moore of the Tofino-area Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, was killed by the Edmunston police in New Brunswick in June of 2020. And a few months later, Martin91Ƶs son, Mike Martin, died while in custody at the Surrey pre-trial centre.
91ƵAs mothers, we are angry, we are disgusted,91Ƶ she said as highway traffic passed and customers entered and exited the restaurant parking lot. 91ƵWhere91Ƶs our leadership91Ƶs coming, you know?91Ƶ
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Friday91Ƶs rally was organized by #JusticeForJared supporters. It was to include a march through Campbell River and another rally at Strathcona Gardens Recreation Complex adjacent to the Campbell River RCMP police detachment.
Lowndes, 38, was killed in a police-involved altercation in the Tim Hortons parking lot. Police say Mounties attempted to stop a vehicle in relation to an outstanding warrant when the suspect fled. According to the National Police Federation, it was an outstanding warrant for weapons offences. An officer boxed the vehicle in before confronting Lowndes with a police dog. The dog was fatally stabbed and Lowndes was shot, dying a short time later. The dog handler received a knife wound.
Holland said there91Ƶs not a day that goes by that she doesn91Ƶt wake up and think about her son.
91ƵThere91Ƶs not a day that goes by I don91Ƶt wake up and think, just around the corner here. Just around the corner is where his car was smashed in by three police vehicles,91Ƶ she said. 91ƵThey sent their dog after him.91Ƶ
Organizers of the #JusticeForJared rally said in an emailed statement they march to bring attention to the ongoing violence perpetrated at the hands of the RCMP. They say the killing of Indigenous people by police must end.
91ƵThe weaponization of attack dogs to help the RCMP murder and maim should be criminal. If anyone besides the police did this, it would be treated as a crime,91Ƶ Randy Geddes, friend of Jared Lowndes, said in the statement.
91ƵWhy are they held to a different standard? The rate of violent crimes against Indigenous people 91Ƶ by those meant to keep us safe 91Ƶ is astonishing. The police investigating police91Ƶs crimes needs to stop. The IIO can never be a truly impartial organization and can91Ƶt be trusted to take care of public safety.91Ƶ
The IIO is the Independent Investigations Office, B.C.91Ƶs police watchdog set up to investigate police-related incidents at arms-length from the force.
As of the first anniversary of Lowndes shooting, the IIO has yet to produce a public report on his death.
Holland continues to call for an external investigation, including the examination of the role of the RCMP 91ƵE91Ƶ Division and the federal ministries which oversee and dictate RCMP activities 91Ƶ the Minister of Justice and Minister of Public Safety.
Since Lowdnes91Ƶ death, four other IIO Investigations have been opened into deaths connected to the Campbell River RCMP. While these investigations are done independently, march organizers say they shroud police conduct in secrecy. They want the RCMP subject to public scrutiny.
91ƵAs a mother of two children killed by police and prisons, I have no faith in recommendations. We need action and we need it now,91Ƶ Martin said in the statement. 91ƵEvery time I gather with families, we add new names to our lists of people killed by the police. The violence must end. Now.
91ƵI am walking with Laura Holland because I understand her pain 91Ƶ as a mother who has lost children to police violence. Across this country 91Ƶ from my Nuu-chah-nulth homelands to the Wolastoqey territory I live in 91Ƶ Indigenous people are being killed by the police. Rodney Levi was killed just eight days after my daughter, and two years later we have added so many names.
91ƵThe killings must end.91Ƶ
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