Protesters call for firing of Calgary police Const. Alex Dunn
Protesters gathered outside the Calgary Court Centre on Monday to call for the firing of police officer Const. Alex Dunn, who was convicted of assault against a Black woman while in custody.
- Warning: some readers may find details in this story disturbing.
A number of anti-racist groups in Calgary, including BLM YYC (Black Lives Matter), Inclusive Canada and Black People United, say they will also contact a number of provincial officials.
Taylor McNallie, co-founder for Inclusive Canada says she plans to continue protesting and the Black Lives Matter movement has not died down.
"We are in this for the long haul, I will be black for the rest of my life," she said, adding that there is fear in the community that more Black lives are at peril from police use of force.
Video released during the assault trial shows Dunn slamming Dalia Kafi face-first to the ground as her hands were handcuffed behind her back.
Kafi is seen bleeding in the video and the court heard she needed surgery for a broken nose and stitches in her lip.
Dunn was found guilty of assault causing bodily harm in 2020. In June, he was given a 30-day conditional sentence with no jail time.
A statement from Calgary Police Service to CTV News says Dunn has been suspended without pay and does not have access to equipment, including his badge and his gun.
Kafi died suddenly in Red Deer days prior to Dunn's sentencing.
Her family told CTV News they are still grappling with everything and believe Dunn’s sentence should have been more harsh.
CPS also says they will be engaging in an internal disciplinary process after the criminal court process is complete.
Dunn is also the subject of an internal CPS investigation for an unrelated incident that happened in 2012.
The protest is also being arranged by a group called Black People United, which is focussed on providing social supports for marginalized groups.
Prudence Aticka says that the focus isn't narrowly on Dunn but this case did receive worldwide attention after video of the assault went viral, he just happens to be the latest example, she says.
Aticka also says defunding the police is about investing in safety, crime prevention and providing access to housing and mental health care, adding that the current police model is draining money and causing harm.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.