[Wamvan] Fwd: Legal action after alleged brutality by mall security

Tue Jun 28 17:17:32 PDT 2011

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Doug King - Pivot <doug at pivotlegal.org>
Date: Tue, Jun 28, 2011 at 5:14 PM
Subject: Legal action after alleged brutality by mall security
To: Tami <cosmictami at shaw.ca>

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   Hi Tami,

   [image: Pivot Legal Action
Fund]<http://pivotlegal.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9a451e878eeec0a3e584da1a3&id=eae0bfabac&e=0de74ccece>

*Support Pivot's Legal Action Fund and help us hold private security
companies to account. *
 [image: Donate Now!]
<http://pivotlegal.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9a451e878eeec0a3e584da1a3&id=1cdca0f636&e=0de74ccece>
 This
morning we filed a BC Human Rights Complaint and a lawsuit on behalf of
three men who were allegedly brutalized in the Harbour Centre mall by
private security guards contracted from Fusion
Security<http://pivotlegal.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9a451e878eeec0a3e584da1a3&id=1739331a94&e=0de74ccece>
.

Shawn Alexander, Richard Kreke and Luis Larrain were severely beaten in the
mall in two separate incidents.  Mr. Alexander and Mr. Kreke allege that on
October 28, 2010 two guards dragged them from in front of the mall’s BC
Liquor Store into a stairwell where they were both beaten. Photos of the
stairwell after the alleged attack show blood strewn across the landing. Mr.
Alexander received 13 stitches to his head and both he and Mr. Kreke had
serious bruising.

Mr. Larrain alleges that on December 24, 2010, he was walking to use the
mall’s washroom when he was knocked down from behind and also dragged into a
stairwell. Mr. Larrain says he was handcuffed and beaten so badly by two
guards that he defecated himself.

After hearing several similar stories about negative interactions with
private security guards at Harbour Centre, from both mall employees and
low-income people, we knew we needed to take action. It turns out that
Harbour Centre has changed security providers, replacing Concord Security
with Fusion Security. On Fusion’s website they explain that clients often
come to them when they are looking for a higher level of pro-active service
and no longer perceive value from their existing security providers. We are
concerned that the alleged violence perpetrated by Fusion’s employees is
part of a strategy to keep people who look homeless, disabled or addicted
out of the mall.

This isn’t the first time we’ve been taken legal action related to private
security. In 2009, we got together with the Vancouver Area Network of Drug
Users to file a human rights complaint against the Downtown Vancouver
Business Improvement Association’s Downtown Ambassador Program.  In the
complaint, we allege that the program is discriminatory and violates the
human rights of people who are homeless or addicted.  The tribunal has heard
that case and we are hoping for a decision later this year.

As the Harbour Centre cases make their way through the legal system and we
wait for a decision in the Downtown Ambassadors case, we are continuing to
talk to people who have been abused or harassed by private security.  We
will continue to take action to ensure that private security companies and
the businesses that hire them know they will be held accountable if they
overstep their authority and violate the human rights of marginalized
people.

Sincerely,

Doug King
Policing campaigner

Here are a couple stories about the Complaint:

http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110628/bc_security_lawsuit_110628/20110628/?hub=BritishColumbiaHome<http://pivotlegal.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9a451e878eeec0a3e584da1a3&id=2b1ac0541b&e=0de74ccece>

http://www.theprovince.com/life/Three+file+suit+against+Harbour+Centre+security+firm+savage+beatings/5018658/story.html<http://pivotlegal.us1.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=9a451e878eeec0a3e584da1a3&id=64ee6bd739&e=0de74ccece>

  Pivot’s mandate is to take a strategic approach to social change, using
the law to address the root causes that undermine the quality of life of
those most on the margins. We believe that everyone, regardless of income,
benefits from a healthy and inclusive community where values such as
opportunity, respect and equality are strongly rooted in the law.

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-- 
Meegwetch/Thank you/Merci
*Tami M. Starlight*
Vancouver, Canada
tamistarlight at gmail.com
tami.cosmic (facebook)
tami_starlight (twitter)
cosmictami (skype)
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