By: Greg Knight, News of the North
A peaceful protest was held Saturday outside Juneau Police Department headquarters, following the arrest last week of 49-year-old Chris Williams, Jr.
Williams was medevaced to Anchorage after being taken to the ground by JPD Officer Brandon LeBlanc outside the Douglas Library. Video posted on social media shows LeBlanc taking Williams down during what police say was an arrest after Williams allegedly approached officers aggressively.
Nearly 100 protesters peacefully called for accountability and systemic police reform.
Organizer Jamiann S’eiltin said the incident reflects a broader pattern of violence against Indigenous people.
“This isn’t something new,” S’eiltin said. “This has been going on since almost time immemorial, since the arrival of Western European settlers. So, just want to put that out there that we are brutally attacked 10 times more than the national average, and that’s something to bring forward here today.”
LeBlanc is on administrative leave and an outside agency is conducting an investigation into the incident.
The Central Council of Tlingit and Haida, which confirmed Williams is a tribal citizen, is demanding transparency and a full inquiry.
