Indigenous grandfather reaches settlement after handcuffing – Vancouver Is Awesome

Torianne: ‘What happened to me and my grandfather traumatized me’

A Heiltsuk Nation grandfather and his granddaughter have reached a multi-pronged settlement with the Vancouver Police Board after the pair was mistakenly suspected of fraud and handcuffed by officers in 2019 outside a Bank of Montreal branch in downtown Vancouver.

The settlement includes undisclosed damages paid to Maxwell Johnson and Torianne and an admission from the police board that the two arresting officers discriminated against the pair because of their Indigenous identity.

The constables themselves have apologized in a letter to Johnson and his granddaughter and were sent an invitation to attend an “apology ceremony” Oct. 24 in Bella Bella, which will be led by the police board.

Details of the settlement were announced Wednesday at a downtown news conference, where Johnson’s son Morgan was also present, along with Heiltsuk Nation Chief Councillor Marilyn Slett and other members of the nation.

Read More: https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/indigenous-grandfather-granddaughter-settlement-vpd-bmo-5884880