Mother of man seen in arrest video calls for justice, FSIN calls for changes

Sherry Penner had trouble watching a video of her son take numerous hits from police during an arrest last week.

Penner, joined by members of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) and her legal representation, called for the termination of the officers involved in the arrest, as well as sweeping changes to police agencies during a press conference Thursday morning.

“I don’t think it was right what happened to him that day,” she said. “I couldn’t even finish watching the video.”

Video of Evan Penner’s arrest was published online by the Indigenous Joint Action Coalition and Black Lives Matter YXE on Monday and has since renewed debate on police use of force.

The video shows police sitting on Penner and telling him to “stop resisting,” as Penner cries out and appears to attempt to reach behind him towards the officer. Penner was punched, pepper-sprayed and Tasered before more than half a dozen officers arrested him.

“I wouldn’t want that to happen to anyone else’s child. It’s been an emotional week. I just want to find justice for him because he did not deserve what he went through,” Penner said after arriving in Saskatoon from northern Manitoba.

According to police, officers were responding to a call about a suspicious person. The Saskatoon Police Service said Penner attempted to disarm the officer.

FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron is thankful that Frank Collins was nearby to capture the incident on video.

“Had that individual not video recorded that incident none of us would have known about this. That would have been swept under the rug, and Evan Penner would have continued on doing what he’s doing and the city police would have never been put to task,” he said.

The Saskatoon Board of Police Commissions is scheduled to address the incident during a special meeting Thursday afternoon.

Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Chief Bobby Cameron (right) speaks to reporters about the arrest video on July 9, 2020. (Keenan Sorokan/650 CKOM)

Eleanore Sunchild is the lawyer representing the Penners. She disputes what police are saying after eyewitness reports state a woman had already approached Evan and asked if he was alright before making the non-emergency call to police.

“I think the police need to get their facts straight,” Sunchild said. “I read in one report that it was a complaint of exposure. I also read he was washing or trying to cool himself off with a garden hose.”

“I read what the complainant had said and it doesn’t match up with what (police) say.”

Penner said her son had previous charges against him in Alberta that were dropped roughly three months ago, but he had no means of getting home.

FSIN Vice-Chief Edward Dutch Lerat was at the press conference representing the chiefs of the First Nations Justice Commission.

He called for numerous points of action police services in Saskatchewan and across Canada should implement or consider, like the use of body cameras, use of force policy review, alternate use of force training at the college level and a public inquiry into systemic racism by police.

“Police officers need to be reminded that they do not have the unconditional authority in the performance of their duties,” he said.

Lerat also continued his calls for an independent civilian-led police oversight, and for police to publicize the use of Taser incidents and whether the force applied fits with internal policies.

“Our citizens continue to have mistrust and apprehensions towards the average frontline police officer on the street – that fear and mistrust are real.”