Canada: Women Press Freedom Demands Police Drop Bogus Charge Against Savanna Craig Following Arrest at Pro-Palestine Sit-In
Craig second woman journalist arrested and charged in Canada this year
Location: Canada, MontrealDate: April 15, 2024
Women Press Freedom is deeply disturbed by the arrest of journalist Savanna Craig during her coverage of a pro-Palestine sit-in at Scotiabank in downtown Montreal on April 15, 2024. Craig, a reporter for CUTV Montreal, was charged with "mischief" alongside protesters, despite clearly identifying herself as a journalist and presenting valid press credentials. We are outraged at the continued targeting of journalists covering demonstrations and protests in Canada; earlier this year in Alberta, journalist Brandi Morin was arrested and charged while reporting the removal of a homeless encampment. The bogus charges against her were eventually dropped after advocacy efforts. Press have the right to cover protests and demonstrations that are within the public interest, they must not be arrested and detained for doing their job. We denounce the Montreal police's failure to recognize Craig’s status as a journalist and call for an immediate review of her case. This continued targeting of journalists is antithetical to Canada's purported commitment to human rights and freedom of expression. We stand in solidarity with Savanna Craig and urge the prosecutor to drop charges brought against her for reporting.
“Journalists have a duty to report on the truth. Police cannot and should not stand in our way from fulfilling this obligation,” Savanna Craig tells Women Press Freedom. “My arrest is a reminder that there is a lot of work to be done in order for press freedoms to be properly upheld in Canada.”
CUTV Montreal, journalist Craig was covering a sit-in by pro-Palestinian activists at Scotiabank in downtown Montreal when police arrested her on April 15, 2024. Officers booked Craig alongside activists involved in the demonstration, which was part of a global economic blockade protest in support of the Palestinian people regarding the ongoing war in Gaza.
Craig says she was documenting the demonstration when officers surrounded her and activists, and did not allow them to leave (“kettled”). She remained on site to cover the police activity, yet when she approached an officer to speak, she was informed of her arrest despite clearly identifying as a journalist.
Craig was confined in an office in Scotiabank as officers contacted upper police management to decide how to proceed. After 30 minutes or so, Montreal police decided to arrest the journalist. As Craig was processed by police, her body, bags and equipment were searched. Her mugshot and photographs of her equipment were taken.
The reporter told police “I do have a press pass, and I am a journalist.” Ignoring her right to report, officers decided to process Craig regardless of her role as a reporter.
Montreal police arrested 45 people at the demonstration on " mischief " charges under $5,000. All of them were released and are expected to appear in court at a later date.
“I am being charged with “mischief” alongside the activists,” says Craig. “They said the prosecutor will decide to either include me with the activists in the charge or throw my case out.”
Under the Canadian Criminal Code, if someone is charged with “mischief” causing damage under $5,000, the consequences depend on how the charge is handled. If treated as a serious offense, called an indictable offense, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for up to two years less a day. If it's considered less serious the penalties are usually milder, like a fine or a shorter jail term, usually less than two years. The specific outcome depends on the circumstances of the case and any mitigating or aggravating factors considered during sentencing.
Craig says that the police escorting her expressed skepticism about the possibility of her facing charges. She observed several officers discussing whether to arrest her, with differing opinions on how to proceed with booking the journalist.
Craig’s arrest is the second case of law enforcement in Canada unjustly targeting a reporter in the first quarter of 2024. In January 2024, award-winning indigenous reporter Brandi Morin was arrested and charged for covering a police raid on a homeless encampment in Alberta. The charges against Morin were eventually dropped, but the pattern of law enforcement targeting journalists persists.
In recent years, Canada has seen a disturbing trend of law enforcement agencies violating the rights of women journalists, raising serious concerns about press freedom. Women Press Freedom has documented cases of obstruction, arrest, harassment, and threats directed at journalists, particularly women. These incidents highlight the challenges faced by journalists, especially when covering sensitive topics like environmental, Indigenous, and political demonstrations, where they not only face physical dangers but also legal repercussions and intimidation from law enforcement. It's evident that Canadian police have operated with impunity in violating press freedom, necessitating a closer examination of the media-law enforcement relationship.
Canadian women journalists who have been arrested. Left to Right: Starla Myers, Melissa Cox, Amber Bracken, Brandi Morin, Savanna Craig
“Journalism is not a crime, yet across the globe, we are seeing a violation of press freedoms,” says Craig. “I was arrested for covering a demonstration highlighting a Canadian bank’s contribution to the violence in Gaza. I’m only one of the numerous journalists in the last few years to be arrested in Canada while covering social movements critiquing ongoing colonialism.”
Women Press Freedom strongly condemns the arrest and charges against Savanna Craig for doing her job. We are outraged that Montreal police continued to book the journalist despite her identifying as a reporter and presenting her press credentials. This trend for law enforcement in Canada to proceed to arrest and charge journalists is deeply concerning. For a country that prides itself on its dedication to human rights, equality, and freedom of expression, Canada is consistently failing in its press freedom obligations. Journalists reporting on demonstrations are not activists involved; they have the right to report freely on protests of interest to the public and should not be arrested and charged for reporting. We urge the Montreal prosecutor to review the case against Savanna Craig and to dismiss the bogus charge being leveled against her immediately.
We reiterate our call to the Canadian government and law enforcement agencies to enact measures to safeguard press freedom and uphold journalists' rights. This targeting of the press covering sensitive demonstrations must end. Journalism is not a crime.
Countries that arrested women journalists since January 2024
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.
If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.