Canada: WPF Denounces Police Obstruction of Oona Barrett, Demands Unfettered Press Freedom at Protests
Journalist impeded by police while filming climate activists blocking access to Montreal airport
Location: Canada, Montreal
Date: July 24, 2024
Women Press Freedom urges the Montreal Police to cease harassment of journalists covering protests of public interest. Officers impeded Pivot reporter Oona Barrett while she was covering an environmental demonstration outside the Montreal airport. Despite repeatedly identifying herself as a journalist, Barrett was mocked by officers and her attempts to film were obstructed. As consistently documented by Women Press Freedom, law enforcement in Canada routinely ignores the rights of the press to cover demonstrations, treating them as activists and failing to allow them to report without obstruction. When reporters, particularly those from regional independent outlets, are documenting protests, they must be allowed to do their work without being impeded by officers or treated as non-journalists when they clearly identify themselves and offer accreditation as evidence. We firmly denounce the behavior of the Montreal Police against Oona Barrett and reiterate our call to Canadian law enforcement agencies to rectify their behavior toward the press and stop obstructing reporters trying to do their jobs.
On July 24, 2024, Montreal police obstructed video journalist Oona Barrett while she was reporting on a climate blockade outside the Trudeau International Airport in Montreal.
A group of protesters had blocked the ramp to the departures area for several hours, causing a traffic backlog. Three of the protesters, who were carrying a sign that said, "Oil kills," glued themselves to the ground and refused to move. Montreal Police intervened and arrested three of the demonstrators on charges of “public mischief.”
Despite filming the demonstration from outside the police perimeter, an officer persistently attempted to obstruct Barrett’s reporting, even questioning her status as a journalist.
In a video provided by Pivot and analyzed by Women Press Freedom, Barrett can be heard incredulously questioning the officer who denied her status as a journalist and telling her to move when she was clearly beyond the police barricade.
“Really? I'm not a journalist? I am, according to the Professional Federation of Journalists of Quebec. I am a journalist for Pivot,” says Barrett to the officers.
Pivot denounced the obstruction of its journalist, noting that it is a “sadly common phenomenon, particularly towards independent media.”
Concerningly, this is not the first time Women Press Freedom has documented the mistreatment of independent journalists by Montreal Police in 2024. Earlier this year,journalist Savanna Craig was arrested and charged with “public mischief” in Montreal while covering a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside a local bank. Craig is still facing this bogus charge. Similarly to Barrett, Craig also works for an independent news outlet, CUTV Montreal.
Women Press Freedom has persistently raised the alarm regarding the disturbing increase in police violations against journalists in Canada. 17 women journalists have been impeded or harassed by the police in Canada in the last 5 years. Journalists have been consistently targeted while covering protests, particularly when reporting on Indigenous issues and environmental actions. This combative behavior of police towards journalists trying to do their job and report events of public interest damages and weakens the democratic system. The press must be free to report without impediment, violence, and obstruction from those tasked with protecting us.
To combat this problem, Women Press Freedom suggests several actions: implementing stronger legal protections for journalists, requiring police to undergo training on press freedoms, and creating independent oversight bodies to ensure police accountability. The organization also urges federal and provincial governments to support press freedom, develop support networks for journalists, and launch public awareness campaigns to promote respect for journalism. These steps are essential to protect democracy and ensure that the press can operate without fear of violence or retaliation.
Women Press Freedom denounces the obstruction of Oona Barrett by the Montreal Police. We see this action by officers as part of a wider issue within Canadian law enforcement towards the press. We urge the Montreal Police to undergo comprehensive training on press freedom so they will cease obstructing journalists and better understand how the mistreatment of the press can damage the public’s right to information and hinder transparency and accountability.
Women Press Freedom is an initiative by The Coalition For Women In Journalism
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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