Posted on 06/28/2013 7:01:25 PM PDT by Candor7
High River ( Alberta, Canada) residents mill about an RCMP roadblock where much angry shouting was heard as police refused entry into the town. Residents were astounded to learn the police had broken into homes to confiscate firear
Residents of the previously flooded town of High River, are angry at delays in being allowed back in to the town.
The 13-thousand citizens were ordered out and the town completely evacuated during the flood, but as waters have receded, residents are eager to return home to assess the damage.
The RCMP has been refusing to let people back in as the evacuation stretched into its eighth day, causing a loud confrontation between about 30 officers and 50 residents at one of the roadblocks
When police laid a spike belt across the road, the crowd became even angrier.
“What’s next? Tear gas?” one resident shouted.
“It’s just like Nazi Germany, just taking orders,” shouted another.
RCMP youtube video shows police entering homes ostensibly looking for abandoned pets. Not shown is how they got in to the locked homes. Then they were further angered when they learned that members of Canada’s national police force, the RCMP, had been entering locked homes and confiscating firearms.
Sgt Brian Topham of the RCMP confirmed police had relied on forced entry to get into houses because of “urgent need”
On Thursday he told reporters that police had confiscated a “substantial “ number of firearms from residents homes.
“I find that absolutely incredible that they have the right to go into a person’s belongings out of their home,” said resident Brenda Lackey, after learning Mounties have been taking residents’ guns from their homes.
Sgt Topham added, ““We just want to make sure that all of those things are in a spot that we control, simply because of what they are,”
He said the guns will be returned to owners after residents are allowed back in town and they provide proof of ownership,
Civil liberties and firearms experts say that flood or no flood, emergency or not, police do not have the right to break into homes and confiscate property.
“This is without precedent, this is unreasonable search and seizure,” said Ed Burlew, lawyer and firearms specialist in Ontario. “The entry was illegal, it’s against the charter, it was unreasonable search and seizure. There’s no judge that would uphold the evidence obtained through an illegal entry into a person’s home.”
Commenting on the police actions, Alberta Premier Allison Redford said on Thursday, “These are exceptional circumstances, in an emergency situation we have to have our police ensuring that there is law and order,”
Andres McGrath, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Safety in the province said, “We have been advised that during the course of searching for individuals unable to make their way to safety, the RCMP discovered firearms that were insecurely stored. Those firearms will be held safely by the RCMP and will be returned to their owners as soon as possible.
There is no special provision in the Criminal Code that allows the police to enter the homes of gun owners during a time of an emergency,” said Solomon Friedman, lawyer and firearms specialist in Ottawa. “The firearms act is often used by police as a pretext to gain access to private residences that they would not be able to gain access to, the ironic thing here is that if these people were convicted paedophiles the police would not be allowed to enter their homes without warrant, it’s kind of sad that gun owners have to fight for the same rights as any convicted criminals.”
Friday, the Prime Minister’s Office waded into the controversy. PMO spokesman “ Carl Vallée said, “We expect that any firearms taken will be returned to their owners as soon as possible. We believe the RCMP should focus on more important tasks such as protecting lives and private property.
Always leave a box of donuts on the counter when abandoning your house.
More like enforcing Fascism.
The RMCP would be digging 4shot out of their Backside!
I saw the article in the Calgary newspaper online.
The Mounties claim they only took the firearms that were in plain sight.
Yeah, sure. Uh-huh.
It’s the 90% of cops that are thugs that make the others look bad. Of course, their covering for the thugs doesn’t help.
"Harry Randall Truman (October 30, 1896 – May 18, 1980) was a resident of the U.S. state of Washington who lived on Mount St. Helens and came to brief fame in the months preceding the 1980 eruption after stubbornly refusing to leave his home. "
So I guess this Lawyer & firearms specialist doesn't know the law?
“This is without precedent, this is unreasonable search and seizure,” said Ed Burlew, lawyer and firearms specialist in Ontario. “The entry was illegal, it’s against the charter, it was unreasonable search and seizure. There’s no judge that would uphold the evidence obtained through an illegal entry into a person’s home.”
In other words, never.
One difference: try this in Texas, and there WILL be violence. OK, one other difference: the local PDs would side with the citizens even though certain police chiefs (I’m thinking Plano, TX) might try to order otherwise.
I hope they didn’t ride their horses through the residents’ living rooms! /s;)
To all- please ping me to Canadian topics.
Canada Ping!
The cops will never do it again. It's against state law now.
Did you mean you are in Alberta now?
President You Didn’t Build That asks one of his top assistants to have someone take notes.
That’s Premier Allison Redford of the “Progressive Conservative Party” no kidding.....
The first sections (102-3) refer to gun dealers.
Then 104 says:
104. (1) An inspector may not enter a dwelling-house under section 102 except
(a) on reasonable notice to the owner or occupant, except where a business is being carried on in the dwelling-house; and
(b) with the consent of the occupant or under a warrant.
It goes on to specify exactly where an inspection may be made - what rooms and such.
105 is to do with *inspecting* a firearm to check serial numbers, whether it is a “restricted weapon” (not only handguns but certain long guns like my old M14 which I had to leave behind years ago. {sigh})
NOTE: the entire section is to do with inspection - nothing at all about seizure or confiscation.
NOTE ALSO: (3) In carrying out an inspection of a place under subsection (1), an inspector may not use force.
You forgot the sarcasm tag. They ignored a sworn oath to the US Constitution before. They will ignore the state constitution in the future, if it suits them.
Never let a crisis go to waste, thier testing
“Prime Minister Stephen Harper is furious at the actions of the RCMP”, let’s see what this pol does not what he says. I hope he is not just another fraud. Actually I think he is all talk!
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