Bram Kleiman alleges he was harmed by Vancouver police numerous times because they did not understand his behaviour related to his autism
A B.C. man with autism will have his complaint against the Vancouver police heard by the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal.
Bram Kleiman filed a complaint against the police board alleging that on several occasions between 2014 and 2021 he was hurt by Vancouver police officers because of their lack of understanding of his mental disability.
Tribunal member Steven Adamson said the tribunal will hear five allegations about Kleiman’s interactions between 2019 and 2021.
On April 13, 2019, Kleiman alleges Vancouver police officers came to his home for a wellness check and charged into the house with guns drawn.
Kleiman says his lawyers filed documentation with the police board indicating he has autism and set up a plan to approach him in a way that avoids triggering him, according to the decision.
Kleiman alleges police shot and assaulted him because he did not respond in the expected “neurotypical fashion.” The decision says that resulted in being arrested, charged and convicted of assaulting a peace officer causing bodily harm.
On Feb. 15, 2020, Kleiman alleges police attacked him outside the Vancouver Convention Centre, resulting in several injuries. He says that police were yelling at him and attacking him, but he was unable to process what they were doing or wanted from him because he was fixated in getting a refund for the Fan Expo industry trade show, according to the decision.
Kleiman alleges that his lack of awareness was related to his autism-spectrum symptoms.
On Feb. 7, 2021, Kleiman alleges police attacked him in an alley resulting in multiple wounds and other injuries. That day, he says he was hyper fixated while playing Pokemon Go.
He contends the police reaction was likely related to misperceived and misinterpreted autism spectrum disorder behaviours, such as his concentrated eye gaze and atypical facial expressions while engaged in the game.
On July 18, 2021, when Kleiman was playing Pokemon Go, someone called police to say he was attempting to kidnap children and he was arrested, according to the decision. He contends the police misinterpreted his autism spectrum disorder behaviours as criminal behaviour.
Adamson said the allegations are similar in nature since they all involve Kleiman being hurt by police who failed to perceive his behaviours as autism spectrum disorder related.
“Overall, I am satisfied Mr. Kleiman has set out five arguable contraventions” of the Human Rights Code, Adamson wrote.