Montreal organizations to protest after racism allegations against police officers

Two Montreal police officers have been suspended after being suspected of committing repeated 'discriminatory and racist' acts toward the people they stopped.

Several Montreal groups are set to protest alleged discriminatory and racist behaviour by a Montreal police (SPVM) unit.

The protest is scheduled for Monday, June 15, at 7 p.m. at Montreal police Station 39 in the city’s Montreal North borough.

Several Montreal-based groups, including Résistance Montréal and Defund La Police, organized the protest.

“For years, those who spoke out against police racism were questioned, ignored, or discredited,” the event says. “Today, this scandal has come to light. This is not an isolated incident. It is a system.”

16 police officers under investigation

The move follows a late-night news conference Friday in which police chief Fady Dagher announced that 16 police officers from Station 39 were under investigation for suspected repeated “discriminatory and racist” acts toward people they stopped while on duty.

Two police officers were suspended and 14 were reassigned or relocated, Dagher said.

He called the situation “deeply troubling,” and that “racism and any reprehensible acts will not be tolerated.”

Following the news conference, Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette said on social media the reports were “extremely concerning” and that “the alleged actions, if confirmed, are incompatible with the values of respect and integrity that must guide the actions of all our police forces.”

Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada denounced the alleged discriminatory and racist behaviour by officers at Station 39 the following day on social media as well, calling the allegations “extremely disturbing.”

• READ MORE: Residents should report racism involving police, Montreal North mayor says

Ferrada said she is working with Quebec Public Security Minister Ian Lafrenière to accelerate deployment of body cameras at Montreal’s police force.

In March, Dagher set a deadline for 2023 to eliminate systematic racism in Monteal’s police force. His announcement came after a 2019 a report revealed that certain visible minorities were disproportionately targeted by random police checks.