Grandma wants apology from police after getting kicked out of street party for being on sidewalk
Fans asked to stay off sidewalks during Jets' whiteout parties
A Winnipeg grandmother is calling for an apology from Winnipeg police after she was kicked out of Monday night's whiteout party for standing on a sidewalk when she wasn't supposed to.
Gerry Shingoose scored a ticket to the Whiteout Street Party after she showed up midway through the Jets game.
A Winnipeg police officer helped direct her to fans leaving the party who had tickets, so she could get in. "It was really nice of them, like the police and them to help me out," she said.
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Sidewalks have been kept clear throughout all white out parties for emergency crews and police, but Shingoose said the guard never told her why she had to move off the sidewalk where she already was standing for five minutes and felt he targeted her because she was Indigenous.
'Felt so disrespected'
"I felt so disrespected, so mistreated. I've never felt so much trauma like that since residential school."
Shingoose told the officers she had been standing there for a while and said she could stand anywhere because she was on Treaty 1 land. One of two Winnipeg police officers who escorted her out of the party responded by saying "no it's not."
Watch: Shingoose says she's on Treaty 1 land, officer says 'no it's not'
Shingoose said the officers were rough with her when they escorted her out of the party and onto Portage Avenue. At one point, she tells the police she has a pacemaker and an officer responds by saying "I don't care."
Police say fans must follow the rules
She said she plans to file a formal complaint with police.
Skrabek said anyone at a whiteout party who goes in an area that's not for the public can be asked to leave or removed if they refuse to leave.
"The area is there for their use and their enjoyment but they are expected to comply with the conditions," she said.
Shingoose said she felt police were disrespectful and lacked cultural knowledge.
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Skrabek said there is training on Indigenous relations available to officers.
Former Vancouver police officer Joel Johnston, who does consulting on police work, said it would be inappropriate to comment on the video because it doesn't show what led up to the events, or what happened after.
Organizer says sidewalks must be clear
"You get a snippet of activity that's completely absent of context, it's absent of the assessment that the officer would have made based on what their prior observations were, what their previous dealings may have been, what they've heard over radio," he said.
A spokesperson for True North Sports and Entertainment, which has been putting on the whiteout parties, said it has to keep sidewalks clear for safety and emergency reasons.
Shingoose said she would like to see rules for the party communicated to fans in the future and will be taking in the next Jets game at home.
"I think that they should set out those rules like I went to the whiteout like you know to be there. I didn't know they had set rules. There was no sign, nothing."
Watch: Earlier at the game, Shingoose had a series of good experiences, streamed live online
