Montreal police told they must acknowledge racism, profiling within force
MONTREAL — If Montreal’s police cannot acknowledge racism within the force, then unfounded street checks on people of colour will continue, citizens told the city’s public security committee in impassioned testimony Friday.
One by one, Montreal residents took the microphone and told city officials that police routinely racially profile citizens of colour.
“I hope today you don’t leave here without knowing that there is anger out there. I am furious with you,” Anastasia Marcelin said in remarks directed at the police. “I am furious for my community. I am furious because you are mistreating us. We have rights in Quebec. We worked to build Quebec …. Do you work properly, and stop persecuting us.”
In response to her and the many others who spoke at the public hearings, Montreal police deputy director Marc Charbonneau would only say the department recognizes there is “systemic bias” in the force.