A spokesperson for the AIDS Committee of Toronto says he is “horrified” about an “irresponsible” comment a Toronto police officer made about AIDS while he was being filmed on a citizen’s cellphone this week.
On Tuesday morning, Waseem Khan said he was walking his son to daycare when he noticed police arresting a man near the intersection of Dundas and Church streets.
Khan told CP24 Tuesday that he started recording the incident shortly before he observed officers putting the suspect on the ground, kicking him, and hitting him with a conducted energy weapon.
In the video, obtained by CP24, two officers are seen approaching Khan, who is behind the camera, and ordering him to stop filming.
The officers are heard on the video threatening to seize his phone as “evidence.”
One of the officers then tells the cameraman, “He’s going to spit on you and you’re going to get AIDS.”
Speaking to CP24 Wednesday, Sergio Martinez, a spokesperson for the AIDS Committee of Toronto, said the community is “outraged” by the comment.
“Everybody knows, we’ve known since that 1980s, that nobody can transmit HIV by saliva or by spitting. So for a cop to actually say that is highly, highly irresponsible,” Martinez said, adding that the police service should issue a statement about the officer’s conduct.
“They cannot hide their heads in the sand. We have it on tape, the community is outraged by their actions,” he said.
He noted that people living with HIV/AIDS are stigmatized on a daily basis.
“It is not just an isolated incident but if a beat cop is actually saying the things he said while he is being taped, I cannot imagine what is being said and done behind closed doors and in private,” Martinez said.
Saunders says man filming encounter did no wrong
On Wednesday, Chief Mark Saunders conceded that the man filming the encounter “was a distance back” and was well within his rights.
“By and large people should feel safe videotaping police officers conduct,” he said.
Saunders also told CP24 that he has asked for a “thorough investigation” into the entire incident.
Police previously said that the suspect allegedly spat at and punched a female officer before kicking out the window of a police cruiser.
He appeared in court on Wednesday, where he was charged with nine offences, including four counts of assaulting a peace officer.
“Let’s come out with some answers and I want them sooner than later,” Saunders said of the planned internal investigation. “If we delay things than it really does erode on the trust factor.”
Tory says he is displeased with threat
Speaking to CP24 Wednesday, Mayor John Tory said the events that occurred before and after the camera was rolling are not exactly clear but he said he is “particularly displeased” that the officers threatened to seize the man’s phone.
The mayor referred to the threat as “what appears to be an intrusion into people’s civil rights.”
“One of the best friends we all have in terms of transparency, including the best friends the police have, is people using cameras because it actually makes sure everybody is accountable and everybody can see what’s going on,” Tory said.
“I think it should be made clear to both parties involved here, the public, who have to understand they can’t interfere with police investigations or police carrying out their duties, but on the other hand, the police have to understand the public have every right, if they are not interfering, to be watching and or recording what’s going on.”
Tory said he thinks an investigation into the incident should be done as soon as possible and that the results of the investigation should be made public.
Police apologize in series of tweets
Toronto police issued an apology over the incident in a series of tweets Wednesday night.
“@TPS51Div officer’s comment simply wrong,” the first of three tweets sent shortly before 9 p.m. read. “You cannot get HIV/AIDS from spit. We’re #sorry.”
Police also said that as a result of the incident an “outside HIV/AIDS expert” would be brought in to educate officers.
“A Profession Standards/Internal Affairs investigation into @TPS51Div incident is underway,” the last of the tweets advised.
