Hundreds of people gathered in Calgary on Saturday to honor the life of an Indigenous man who died while in police custody.
The walk, organized by the family of 35-year-old Clayton Crawford, began at the Calgary Police Service headquarters and ended at the Calgary Courts Centre.
Crawford, a member of the Piikani Nation, died on July 13, 2018, after being arrested by Calgary police for outstanding warrants. He was found unresponsive in his cell at the Calgary Remand Centre and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The family of Crawford has been seeking answers and justice for his death, which they believe was a result of police negligence and mistreatment.
During the walk, Crawford’s family and supporters carried signs and chanted “Justice for Clayton” as they made their way through the streets of Calgary.
Crawford’s sister, Tanya Crawford, spoke to the crowd, expressing her gratitude for the support and calling for accountability from the Calgary Police Service.
“We want answers, we want accountability, and we want justice for Clayton,” she said.
The family has also filed a lawsuit against the Calgary Police Service, the Calgary Remand Centre, and the Alberta government, seeking $1.5 million in damages.
The Calgary Police Service has declined to comment on the ongoing lawsuit, but has stated that they are committed to working with the family and the community to address their concerns.
The walk was also attended by members of the Indigenous community, who spoke about the ongoing issue of police brutality and mistreatment towards Indigenous people.
“We need to stand together and demand change,” said one speaker. “We cannot continue to lose our loved ones to police violence.”
The walk concluded with a moment of silence and a prayer for Crawford and all other Indigenous people who have died while in police custody.
The family of Clayton Crawford continues to seek justice for his death and hopes that the walk will bring attention to the issue of police accountability and the mistreatment of Indigenous people in Canada.
