Imagine walking down the street and being stopped and interrogated by the police for no reason, feeling the stress of wondering whether or not you were safe. This is the reality faced by thousands of black and indigenous people in Edmonton, Alberta.
Street checks, or "carding" as it is often called, is a practice where police stop people on the street for "suspicious behaviour" and collect personal information about them. In three years, the Edmonton police conducted over 130000 street checks and most of them were for black and indigenous peoples in the city.
The Chief of police claims that his officers are doing no wrong and that street checks are important. However, everyone should be able to walk the streets without fear of being accosted by the police. The practice has no place in a democratic country.
Sign today to tell the Edmonton Chief of police that this is racist practice and has no place in Canadian society. By signing today you are sending a strong message that all people deserve to walk the streets freely without police intervention.
