Taser incident hits official visit to Vancouver's Downtown Eastside

by Alfred Hermida | January 26, 2008 at 12:59 am | 963 views | 3 comments

A good commentary by Darren Fleet, one of the students at the UBC School of Journalism, on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside and the policing of area:

Michelle Jean says art can bring change to Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, Jim Chu says incidents of excessive police force are rare, a lone youth says the biggest issue he faces in the Downtown Eastside is police brutality, and Maestro Fresh Wes says yo.

He goes on to point out that after Michelle Jean spoke, an incident unfolded outside:

“There is police brutality right there! An unnecessary beating right there!”

Everyone in the crowd remembers what the youth at the begining had said. A moment of pandemonium ensues. The room sounds like a plane about to crash. Everyone can see through the glass.

More than six police officers are on top of a suspect in the middle of the Carroll-Hastings intersection. A taser is used. The man is screaming.

Welcome to Vancouver, he concludes.