Province files lawsuit against Regina police chief Evan Bray, Justice for our Stolen Children protesters

Government files lawsuit against protest camp The Government of Saskatchewan has filed a lawsuit against the Justice for Our Stolen Children protest camp, and Regina's police chief.

The Government of Saskatchewan and the Provincial Capital Commission has filed legal action against Regina’s police chief Evan Bray, as well as the Justice for our Stolen Children camp.

The camp was set up in Wascana Park in late February as a response to the acquittal of Gerald Stanley in the death of Colten Boushie. Demonstrators have been in the park ever since, with the exception of a short window immediately following June 18 when the camp was dismantled by the Provincial Capital Commission, and several protesters were arrested by Regina police.

In the papers filed, the government is seeking a court order to remove protesters from the Wascana Park grounds, saying the continued occupation of park land by protesters prevents the public from using the park as it was intended.

The suit goes on to say that despite the fact that the Capital Commission requested that the Regina Police Service take action to remove protesters, the police did not take action.

The government filed the suit on Tuesday, the day after protesters filed a claim of their own against the government and the Regina Police Service, alleging the camp was dismantled illegally on June 18.

Several protesters were arrested by police while the Capital Commission dismantled the camp, but no charges were ever laid. The lawyer for the camp says he believes the arrests were illegal.

Ken Cheveldayoff, the minister for the Provincial Capital Commission released a written statement in regards to the suit on Thursday afternoon.

"It is important to stress that we are not asking the Court to stop the group from protesting. In a democracy people and groups have the right to protest and we respect this group’s right to protest. The Wascana Park bylaws prohibit unauthorized overnight camping, erecting and maintaining structures, and burning combustibles, and we are asking that these bylaws be enforced," the statement says. "The Regina Police Service are named as respondents to the legal action to aid in the enforcement of the Court Order. If the Court Order is granted, we would expect the Regina Police Service to assist in its enforcement"

A spokesperson for the Regina Police Service says Chief Bray is aware of the lawsuit, but will not be making a comment to the media.