Pride News Canada's Leader In African Canadian & Caribbean News, Views & Lifestyle
TORONTO, Ontario (Thursday, October 22, 2020) — “We are deeply disappointed that yet another police officer has eluded conviction for killing a Black man.
“Justice Robert Kelly’s recent verdict that found Constable Daniel Montsion not guilty of all charges in the killing of Abdirahman Abdi, causes angst and pain for many Somali, Black and other communities across Canada still reeling from a pandemic and a summer of police violence against Black people.
“It is agonizing to watch as Abdirahman Abdi — murdered due to excessive and deadly force by an officer sworn to uphold the constitution and protect every citizen- has been denied justice in death, as he was in life.
“This acquittal, on top of the countless others that have come before it, makes it clear that the legal standards governing these cases of police violence must be corrected.
“At this time, our thoughts are with Mr. Abdi’s family and friends. They have endured the agonizing pain of losing a loved one at the hands of police, a pain that far too many Black families have been forced to confront.
“The Black Legal Action Centre (BLAC) would also like to express our support for the Justice for Abdirahman Coalition and other community groups’ effort to challenge racism in policing and the justice system, both provincially and nationally.
“As we conveyed in our previous statement on policing and anti-Black racism, immediate change to policing is needed and BLAC will not tire of demanding justice.”
