First Nations chief shown being punched by Canadian police in video

Canadian police tackled and punched a prominent First Nations chief in the parking lot of a casino as they accused him of resisting arrest.

On Saturday, Chief Allan Adam of Fort Chipewyan First Nation in Alberta alleged he was assaulted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) during the incident in early March. It began over an allegation of an expired licence plate but quickly escalated into what Adam claims was a clearcut instance of excessive force.

He and his lawyer, Brian Beresh, had called on the RCMP to release footage recorded from the police vehicle’s cameras. Police had previously declined, saying the matter was before the courts. On Thursday, as a result of court filings, the video was made public.

“It is now clear why the RCMP refused to release the police video to the public,” Beresh said in a statement, adding that the footage “speaks for itself”.

In the 12-minute clip, Adam grows increasingly frustrated at the police officers, accusing them of harassing his family after they prevented his vehicle

from leaving the parking lot early in the morning of 10 March. The vehicle, which police allege was using an expired licence tag, had previously been impounded by police on an unrelated matter and released back to Adam a few days before.

As Adam swears at officers, they repeatedly tell him to get back in his vehicle.

One officer briefly grabs Adam’s wife, Freda Courtoreille, as she stands near the back of the truck. Adam yells at the officer not to touch Courtoreille, who has late-stage rheumatoid arthritis.

As Adam becomes increasingly distressed, the officer tries to grab his arm.

Moments later, a second officer appears on the scene and tackles Adam, allegedly punching him in the head as he lies on the ground. “Fuck you, don’t resist arrest!” the officer yells, along with: “Don’t resist! Don’t resist!” The officer then applies a chokehold.

As police hold Adam on the ground, Courtoreille and bystanders are seen pleading with officers to stop.

Photographs of the chief’s face, swollen and crusted with dried blood, were provided to the Guardian.

Adam was taken to the RCMP detachment, where he was charged with resisting arrest and unlawful assault of a police officer. Courtoreille was arrested for obstruction, but was not charged.

The RCMP alleges that Adam resisted arrest and that the actions of the two officers were “reasonable”.

The province’s police watchdog, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, has opened an investigation into the incident.