Senegal’s government accuses Canadian police of ‘savagely’ beating Ottawa embassy diplomat

The Republic of Senegal says certainly one of its on-duty diplomats in Ottawa was crushed at her house by police earlier this week, whereas Quebec’s Gatineau Police Service says its members subdued and arrested an individual who was violent towards officers.

The Embassy of Senegal posted a French-language information launch from its Ministry of Overseas Affairs and Senegalese Overseas in regards to the Tuesday incident on the embassy’s Facebook page on Friday afternoon. The discharge didn’t cite the police company concerned. 

“Throughout this operation, the Canadian police exercised humiliating bodily and ethical violence on the diplomat in entrance of witnesses and within the presence of her minor youngsters,” in line with the discharge.

“Regardless of being reminded of the sufferer’s standing as a diplomat and of the inviolability of her house, the Canadian cops handcuffed her and savagely beat her to the purpose that she had issue respiration, which led to … evacuation by ambulance to the hospital.”

The ministry’s launch didn’t identify the diplomat or specify the situation of the house. 

CBC has reached out to the embassy and the ministry for remark. 

Police say individual was aggressive

In its own French-language news release issued late Friday night, the Gatineau Police Service mentioned its members have been serving to a bailiff execute an order and arrived on the scene at round 1:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday. 

A police spokesperson later confirmed it occurred in Gatineau. 

“The police verified that … the authorized officer who approved the courtroom order had been knowledgeable that the individual had diplomatic standing,” in line with the discharge. “Confronted with an aggressive one who refused to co-operate, the police intervened to clarify the method and to make sure that the whole lot went easily.”

The police service didn’t specify whether or not the individual was a diplomat with the embassy. 

In accordance with the police launch, a policewoman was punched within the face throughout the intervention, prompting police to arrest the individual “for the protection of these current.”

“The individual resisted arrest and bit a second officer. The individual was then dropped at the bottom to be subdued [and] was detained behind the patrol automobile, beneath the supervision of a policewoman, till the bailiff carried out his order and the state of affairs returned to calm,” the discharge continued. 

“At no time did the individual point out having been injured or having ache when questioned.”

The police launch went on to state that, later that day, shortly after 3 p.m., “paramedics referred to as the [Gatineau Police Service] for help once they have been working with this individual and about 10 individuals have been current.”

Name for investigation

In its launch, the Authorities of Senegal mentioned it has referred to as for an investigation to be carried out at once and that “proceedings be introduced towards the perpetrators of this unacceptable aggression, which constitutes a severe assault on the bodily integrity of the individual and on human dignity.”

The federal government additionally referred to as the incident a “flagrant” violation of the 1961 Vienna Conference on Diplomatic Relations. 

“Confronted with this case, the federal government of Senegal instantly summoned …. the Canadian Embassy in [Senegal’s capital] Dakar to vigorously denounce and strongly condemn this racist and barbaric act,” the federal government mentioned in its launch. 

CBC Information reached out to International Affairs Canada, who acknowledged the request and mentioned they might reply “as quickly as potential.”

The Gatineau Police Service mentioned that, in keeping with the province’s Police Act, Quebec’s Director of Legal and Penal Prosecutions (DCPP) was requested on Thursday to weigh in on whether or not a prison investigation of officers’ actions ought to happen.

“The [Gatineau Police Service] administration will collaborate in any subsequent course of or investigation in full transparency,” in line with the discharge. 

The police service additionally requested the DCPP to find out whether or not costs of assault of an officer and obstruction of police are warranted towards the individual. 

Quebec’s Ministry of Public Safety was alerted to the incident, the police service mentioned.