U.S. ‘humanity is being lost’: lawyer
SASKATOON A prominent Cree lawyer in Saskatoon with extensive experience in police misconduct and race relations cases says the outrage in the United States following the death of George Floyd stems from a creation of “us and them,” and applies to people across North America.
“Particularly in the United States, it’s really no surprise that the humanity is being lost in the divisions that are being created deliberately. What we need to understand is that we are all connected in the human family,” Donald Worme said in an interview.
Over the weekend, Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder after using his knee to pin 46-yearold George Floyd’s neck to the ground for nearly nine minutes during an arrest on May 25.
Before he died, the unarmed African-american man repeatedly pleaded with the officer, saying “I can’t breathe.” An autopsy report found the force was a contributing factor in Floyd’s death.
“I was horrified, as I think everybody has been, and the shock of that simply takes some time to be able to process,” Worme said.
The killing has sparked protests and riots across the United States. Worme said it’s unfortunate that legitimate protests are being overshadowed by looting and violence.
“Nobody can agree with that, but yet at the same time, it’s hard to condemn that without condemning the system that has given rise to that and the continuous and ongoing abuse of people of colour by the justice system, not just in
America but in Canada. It’s an ongoing issue.”
Worme represented the family of Neil Stonechild at the 2003 inquiry into Stonechild’s death. The 17-year-old’s frozen body was discovered in Saskatoon’s north industrial area in 1990. The inquiry found he was in police custody on the night he died, and two police officers eventually were suspended for trying to cover it up.
Worme said this individual case of racial injustice highlighted a larger systemic issue involving the problematic treatment of both Indigenous people and people living in poverty.
However, there are “very strong examples” that demonstrate a positive shift in Saskatchewan when it comes to policing, justice and race relations, Worme said, pointing to people like Father André Poilivievre, founder of STR8 UP, and recent police chiefs.
He said it’s crucial to recognize and celebrate all community builders because creating positive relationships should not fall solely on the backs of people of colour.
“All citizens, particularly white people, need to step up. (They) need to talk to (their) brothers and sisters and children and say this is not the way things need to happen,” Worme said.
“The breaking point is upon us.”