Rally at Marlborough Hotel where Indigenous woman, who allegedly wielded knife, was restrained

Dozens of people gathered inside the lobby of a downtown Winnipeg hotel Sunday afternoon to show support for an Indigenous woman who was restrained last month after she allegedly brandished a knife.

Community members, including Indigenous drummers, held a rally inside the Marlborough Hotel nearly four weeks after the Dec. 25, 2023, incident that was recorded by a bystander and shared widely on social media.

BACKGROUND: Controversy after Indigenous woman restrained in Winnipeg hotel lobby; manager claims she was brandishing knife

The more than three-minute video shows an unnamed Indigenous woman with her hands tied behind her back pleading to be allowed to leave the hotel, as men who appear to be staff members prevent her from doing so. They later ask the bystander filming the video to exit the property.

The footage was condemned by three Indigenous organizations in Manitoba: the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC), Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) and the Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO).

“We can no longer allow for our people to be treated and disrespected like this,” said MKO Grand Chief Garrison Settee at the rally. “It makes me upset that a woman is surrounded by men and she is zip-tied, feeling powerless and helpless.”

The general manager of the Marlborough Hotel told CityNews the woman’s hands were tied using “wrist restraints” because she was intoxicated and threatening guests and staff with a knife.

“Our intention was to prevent this young woman from harming herself or others until the WPS arrived,” the hotel’s manager said.

Winnipeg police confirmed to CityNews the woman was charged with assault with a weapon on the day of the incident. Police say they did not see the video until afterwards, and there is a subsequent investigation ongoing.

The AMC said it was “actively cooperating” with the WPS regarding the video, which it called “troubling” and “distressing.”

In Winnipeg for medical reason

Those at the rally Sunday were demanding answers.

“This is Canada and there should be justice served,” one person told CityNews.

“All levels of government need to take accountability for what’s going on,” said another. “This is a symptom of something that is happening multiple times a day.”

The woman was staying at the Marlborough while in Winnipeg for a medical reason.

The AMC maintains it will be terminating its business relationship with the hotel, with Grand Chief Cathy Merrick saying the incident highlights the need for safer accommodations for patients travelling to Winnipeg for health care.

“In terms of medical boarding homes and hotels, we need to be a part of that process, as First Nations political organizations because they don’t consult us as to which hotels to send our people, and we need to be a part of that so these things don’t happen,” Merrick said.

“Only way we can protect our people is if we have our own receiving homes for our First Nations, because right now the system is not working,” added Settee. “It’s failing and we need to change it.”

–With files from Kurt Black