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.
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I feel that the officers involved in this case used excessive force while arresting this lady. Especially in front of her two young children. People of colour in Nova Scotia have a hard time respecting and trusting the police. We are profiled and harassed by police, not just in Halifax but in every inch of this province. Situations like this don’t help at all and but in fact, makes things worse. It is my hope that SIRT will find that the breaking of an arm and concussion are not an acceptable part of an arrest.
When you look at what happened to Santina Rao as a fire. When you say “People of color in Nova Scotia have a hard time respecting and trusting the police” what happened to Santina Rao adds fuel to that fire.
Name the officers: Const. David Clowater and Const. Josh Alarie