May 26, 2025, at approximately 3:37 PM,

Harassment Incident-Whyte Avenue Edmonton

The below account has not been edited other than for anonymity's sake of the community partners. This account is a personal reflection based on lived experience and opinions. It is shared for the purpose of documentation, awareness, and critique of institutional practices. This story is not intended to incite harm or harassment toward any individual. Names and identifying details have been omitted or altered where appropriate to respect privacy and safety. All incidents are allegations not proven in a court of law, and the Archive does not investigate or vouch for the veracity of reported incidents.

Incident overview: While working outside a youth-serving organization, a staff member attempted to uphold the site's no-police policy when two officers approached. One officer responded with physical force and threats of arrest.

Two staff members at a youth-serving organization in Edmonton were outside the building with youth when two uniformed Edmonton Police Service (EPS) officers approached the entrance.

One of the staff members following what had been communicated from the beginning of their employment as the organizations standing “no police inside the building” policy (designed to maintain a trauma-informed, low-barrier space), gently attempted to intercept the officers. They greeted them calmly with a smile and offered to bring out a frontline worker to speak with them, per protocol.
Before the staff member could finish speaking, one of the officers grabbed their arms and pushed them aside, nearly knocking them down. They began bruising immediately and were left visibly distressed. The same officer proceeded to threaten this staff member and three other frontline staff members with arrest, accusing them of “obstructing justice.” He claimed they were in “hot pursuit” of an armed suspect allegedly inside the building. However, neither officer had their weapons drawn, and the search was brief and careless, with no clear urgency or safety precautions in place. No one on staff had witnessed the alleged suspect acting aggressively or violently, and no weapons were seen.

Edmonton Police Service (EPS)

Whyte Avenue.

Anonomous.