Justice for Santina Rao
Justice for Santina Rao
Why this petition matters
On January 15 2020, multiple police officers inside a Halifax, Nova Scotia Walmart assaulted Santina Rao in front of her two children after accusing her of stealing groceries. When police and Walmart staff confronted Santina, and she offered that they search her belongings, police shifted tactics and asked for Rao’s identification.
Multiple officers ultimately attacked Santina, broke her wrist, and left her with a concussion and bruises all over her body. The police then laid three criminal charges on Santina, saying she assaulted the police, resisted arrest, and created a disturbance in the Walmart.
We are beyond tired of the attacks on Black people across Canada, especially by the police who have never served and protected Black people. We are fed up with police forces that apologize for racial profiling but never stop doing it. We have no more patience for politicians who cover for the police, and ask us to wait for the next bogus investigation before we judge them.
We therefore demand that:
1) The Crown’s office in Nova Scotia immediately drop all criminal charges against Santina Rao;
2) The Crown’s office investigate and charge all officers involved in the assault on Santina Rao;
3) Walmart Canada immediately lift its nationwide ban of Santina Rao, and compensate her for the violent intervention initiated by its employees.
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