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February 21, 2025 -First Nation –
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) formally apologized to Gitxsan journalist Jerome Turner and his editor, Ethan Cox of Ricochet Media, for violating Turner’s Charter rights during a 2020 enforcement operation on Wet’suwet’en territory in British Columbia. The apology followed a report by the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission (CRCC), which found that the RCMP had unreasonably interfered with press freedoms during the operation.
On February 7, 2020, Turner was reporting on the RCMP’s enforcement of an injunction against Wet’suwet’en land defenders opposing the Coastal GasLink pipeline. Despite identifying himself as a journalist and possessing an assignment letter, Turner was initially denied access to the area. Later, during the operation, he was detained for approximately eight hours, during which he was held in a ditch with limited visibility of the events he was covering. At one point, RCMP officers pointed rifles at him, lowering them only after he identified himself as media.
The CRCC’s investigation concluded that the RCMP’s actions constituted “serious interference” with press freedoms and were not justified under the circumstances. The RCMP’s Community-Industry Response Group (C-IRG), responsible for the operation, was specifically criticized for its handling of the situation.
In a letter dated February 19, 2025, the RCMP expressed regret over the actions of several officers involved in the incident. Turner accepted the apology, emphasizing the need for systemic change to prevent future infringements on journalistic freedoms. Cox highlighted the importance of the CRCC’s findings as a precedent for protecting press rights in Canada.
The incident has sparked broader discussions about the role of law enforcement in managing media access during operations, especially in contexts involving Indigenous land rights and environmental protests. Media organizations and civil liberties groups continue to advocate for clear guidelines to ensure that journalists can operate without undue interference from authorities.
Reference –
https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/rcmp-crcc-reporter-apology-1.7466872
RCMP apologize for threatening, detaining Gitxsan reporter during Wet’suwet’en raid