Anti-Pipeline Graffiti Raid Update: VPD claiming $500,000 in damages not including graffiti (Canada)

by indyvan, Vancouver Media Coop

On June 3rd, 2014, Vancouver Police staged a “guns-drawn” raid against a house of known indigenous and anarchist opponents to the energy policies of the central government and its corporate sponsors.

The ostensible reason for the raid was given as the search for graffiti materials believed to be tied to an ongoing “no pipelines” tagging campaign. One person was arrested, but released without charges or conditions.

The Vancouver Police Department returned on June 12 at around 9am with a warrant to take a DNA blood sample from the accused. The accused was again released without charges. There has been no info on the result of the DNA blood sample nearly 5 months after.

An accumulation of property crimes have taken place between September 2012 and April 2014 including a arson of a house under construction, arson to a commercial bank and mischief to several commercial properties. Most of these crimes have been smashed windows, but the suspect also destroyed automated bank teller machines (ATM), damaged gas pumps and littered Vancouver with no pipelines graffiti. To date there are 20 crimes totaling over $500,000.

We are now currently fighting the further detention of our belongings with a court date set for mid November. There was a previous date set at October 30th, but was moved due to the courtroom being for cases of 30 minutes or less.

There is also a sealing order on the investigations.

Sealing orders may be issued where the ends of justice would be subverted by disclosure, or the information used for an improper purpose, and the factors supporting non-disclosure outweigh those favouring access: s. 487.3(i)(a) and (b).

The “ends of justice” would be subverted if disclosure would:

-compromise an informant’s identity (s. 487.3(2)(a)(i));

-compromise an ongoing investigation (s. 487.3(2)(a)(ii));

-compromise the use of, or a person using, particular investigative

techniques (s. 487.3(2)(a)(iii));

-prejudice the interests of an innocent person (s. 487.3(2)(a)(iv));

“Any other sufficient reason” (s. 487.3(2)(b)) will also justify non-disclosure.

There is still no charges or conditions to date. However, we still need legal and potential bail funds. We thank you for your solidarity.

– Donation Link:

http://www.youcaring.com/other/no-pipelines-raid-legal-fund/260398#sthash.5B4bniaK.dpuf

Additional Info

Police raid house in East Vancouver on pretext of anti-pipeline graffiti.

Tags: Canada, Graffiti, Raid, Vancouver

This entry was posted on Saturday, November 15th, 2014 at 7:14 am and is filed under Direct Action.