RCMP arrest of photojournalist Amber Bracken goes to trial in Vancouver

Opening arguments began in Vancouver in a five-week B.C. Supreme Court trial over Amber Bracken's 2021 arrest at a pipeline protest; Bracken and The Narwhal are suing the RCMP for wrongful arrest, wrongful detention and Charter breaches.

Opening arguments opened Monday in Vancouver in a scheduled five-week B.C. Supreme Court trial about the RCMP's 2021 arrest of photojournalist Amber Bracken at a pipeline protest in northern British Columbia. Her lawyer told the court police characterised her as an occupier rather than an identified journalist. Bracken and news outlet The Narwhal are suing the RCMP for wrongful arrest, wrongful detention and breaches of Charter rights, including protections for journalists. The arrest occurred on Nov. 19, 2021, and Bracken was held in custody for four days. Key facts: - Amber Bracken was arrested on Nov. 19, 2021, at a protest related to the Coastal GasLink pipeline and was detained for four days. - Bracken and The Narwhal have brought claims against the RCMP for wrongful arrest, wrongful detention and Charter breaches related to journalists' ability to gather and report information. - Defence counsel for the RCMP says the arrest was lawful and that being a journalist does not exempt a person from complying with court orders; the plaintiff's counsel says Bracken was clearly identified as media at the scene and during processing. - The trial began with opening statements in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver and is scheduled to run for five weeks. Summary: The proceedings centre on whether Bracken's treatment by police was lawful and on broader questions about the rights of journalists to document events during enforcement of court orders. The five-week trial is currently underway in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver. Undetermined at this time.