#JusticeForRegis

#JusticeForRegis

Regis Korchinski-Paquet

A protest was held on May 30^th and June 5^th 2020, for Regis Korchinski-Paquet, a black woman from Toronto, Canada after her death from falling from her High Park Apartment. The second protest was held to follow social distance orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Korchinski-Paquet death was a result of a police call from her mother concerning Regis’ mental health. Korchinski-Paquet’s family insists that she was either pushed or thrown over the balcony by the police.

The Incident

On May 27^th, 2020 Regis’ mother, Claudette Beals-Clayton, called for police assistance after a domestic conflict with a request to take her daughter to a mental health facility. After the police arrived, they told Regis, mother and brother to exit the apartment. As the two, were in the hallway of their apartment building, police entered the 24th floor apartment after Korchinski-Paquet. The family heard Korchinski-Paquet cry for help, followed by quiet, and then the officers confirming that she had fallen off the balcony. Korchinski-Paquet fell to the ground below, and died at the scene. Her family accused the Toronto Police Service of having played a role in her death. This has led to a Special Investigations Unit investigation.

Response from The Community

After this news of Korchinski-Paquet’s death hit the media many of the Canadian and international black community reacted with little hesitation. This is yet another case of a black life lost while in the custody of the police. The organizers of the protest have called for a response from the Toronto Police Department. Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders spoke to reporters and did not specify whether or not the officers in question were wearing body cameras. CCTV footage from the apartment complex has been obtained but unreleased at this time.