2010-09-08 

G20 protester launches $1M lawsuit

A lawsuit claiming more than $1 million in damages has been launched against Toronto police by one of the G20 protesters.

Natalie Gray says she was shot twice by what she believes were rubber bullets during a demonstration on Sunday, June 27.

After the shooting, “she was driven around in a police car for 30 minutes before she was taken to the hospital to receive treatment for her injuries. She was then taken to the detention centre on Eastern Avenue, where she was taunted by police officers, denied access to her asthma medication, strip searched and denied access to counsel, despite her repeated requests to speak to a lawyer. Natalie was detained for approximately 30 hours before she was released on bail the next day,” said a statement from the office of her lawyer, Clayton Ruby.

Gray had all charges against her dropped on Aug. 23.

As a result of the shooting, she suffered “extremely painful injuries to both her elbow and sternum.”

Ruby’s statement said Gray is suing “the Toronto Police Services Board and unnamed individual police officers for over $1 million in damages.”

The lawsuit claims Gray was a victim of assault and battery, unlawful arrest and detention, malicious prosecution and violations of a number of her constitutional rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Toronto police have not responded to the allegations contained in the lawsuit.