Inside men
Beryl Wajsman, Sep 6, 2023
The hardest thing about fighting systemic racism, is that there is a system. A system that protects and covers up violations of our civil rights. It is one thing for well-meaning and often effective citizens to come together in alliances to redress wrongs. But it is so much better when those rare occasions occur when inside men decide to permanently join those alliances and the buttons of the system begin to be pushed to help the victims and not the victimizers.
That is what happened late last week. The Red Coalition, which has been so effective in fighting systemic racism — particularly racial profiling and random police checks which violate our Sec. 7 Charter Rights — led by Joel de Bellefeuille and Alain Babineau, announced two of the best insiders will be joining them.
The Coalition announced its Lawyers Against Racial Profiling (L.A.R.P) program. When someone is victimized, the hardest thing to find is a lawyer. And particularly a lawyer who knows the inside of the police. Lawyers who know which buttons to push. LARP will be the go-to resource to call.
What is exciting is that the Coalition has added two top legal talents that bring much needed punch to LARP. Noted criminal lawyer Ralph Mastromonaco and professor and court bailiff Cosimo La Rosa. They will be joining the board of the anti-racism advocacy group and be available to those in trouble.
The Coalition has always been able to call on attorneys like Grey, Casgrain and activists like Fo Niemi of CRARR. But to have two advocates who know the system from the inside available constantly, is really kicking it up a notch.
And on the two most critical challenges — profiling and random stops — the Police have taken notice. It’s the kind of alliance between advocates and activists normally seen in the United States. It is cause for cautious optimism, particularly with a new Police Chief in Fady Dagher who is already sensitive to these issues as he told The Suburban in an exclusive interview some months ago. He said he wanted to change “police culture.” This will give him an added arrow in his quiver and added incentive.
In a justice system programmed to wear down victims, this new alliance can redress some of the imbalance significantly. It can lead to Montreal’s police taking a pause if they have no cause and exercising responsible authority before making an intervention with someone merely because of the colour of their skin. Officers will know that the next call they get may be from their commander because attorneys of conscience and character who know the system are on 24/7 call and they know who to call.
It is time that Montreal’s security authorities stop assuming everyone is guilty of something, but they just haven’t all been caught yet. Police may have a right to question. But they have a duty not to pre-judge. And they must remember to intervene only with reasonable cause. Knowing the robust resources of LARP exist, will move them in that direction.
Policing in Montreal needs to be reinvented, Mastromonaco said. We couldn’t agree more.
The hardest thing about fighting systemic racism, is that there is a system. A system that protects and covers up violations of our civil rights. It is one thing for well-meaning and often effective citizens to come together in alliances to redress wrongs. But it is so much better when those rare occasions occur when inside men decide to permanently join those alliances and the buttons of the system begin to be pushed to help the victims and not the victimizers.
That is what happened late last week. The Red Coalition, which has been so effective in fighting systemic racism — particularly racial profiling and random police checks which violate our Sec. 7 Charter Rights — led by Joel de Bellefeuille and Alain Babineau, announced two of the best insiders will be joining them.
The Coalition announced its Lawyers Against Racial Profiling (L.A.R.P) program. When someone is victimized, the hardest thing to find is a lawyer. And particularly a lawyer who knows the inside of the police. Lawyers who know which buttons to push. LARP will be the go-to resource to call.
What is exciting is that the Coalition has added two top legal talents that bring much needed punch to LARP. Noted criminal lawyer Ralph Mastromonaco and professor and court bailiff Cosimo La Rosa. They will be joining the board of the anti-racism advocacy group and be available to those in trouble.
The Coalition has always been able to call on attorneys like Grey, Casgrain and activists like Fo Niemi of CRARR. But to have two advocates who know the system from the inside available constantly, is really kicking it up a notch.
And on the two most critical challenges — profiling and random stops — the Police have taken notice. It’s the kind of alliance between advocates and activists normally seen in the United States. It is cause for cautious optimism, particularly with a new Police Chief in Fady Dagher who is already sensitive to these issues as he told The Suburban in an exclusive interview some months ago. He said he wanted to change “police culture.” This will give him an added arrow in his quiver and added incentive.
In a justice system programmed to wear down victims, this new alliance can redress some of the imbalance significantly. It can lead to Montreal’s police taking a pause if they have no cause and exercising responsible authority before making an intervention with someone merely because of the colour of their skin. Officers will know that the next call they get may be from their commander because attorneys of conscience and character who know the system are on 24/7 call and they know who to call.
It is time that Montreal’s security authorities stop assuming everyone is guilty of something, but they just haven’t all been caught yet. Police may have a right to question. But they have a duty not to pre-judge. And they must remember to intervene only with reasonable cause. Knowing the robust resources of LARP exist, will move them in that direction.
Policing in Montreal needs to be reinvented, Mastromonaco said. We couldn’t agree more.
Recent
Red Coalition puts teeth into fight against racial profiling
September 7th, 2023
Inside men
September 6th, 2023
‘Legal hub’ for victims of racial profiling launching in Canada
August 30th, 2023
‘Gross incompetence:’ Man ticketed for contraband cigarettes says he was racially profiled
July 28th, 2023
Man alleges random police stop in South Shore led to illegal search, fine for contraband cigarettes
July 26th, 2023
Archive
2023
January
Family of Montreal man killed while unlawfully jailed wants systemic racism inquiryLa famille de l’homme demande une enquête sur le racisme systémiqueSystemic racism inquiry called for by family of man who died after being pepper-sprayed at Bordeaux prisonDétenu mort à la prison de Bordeaux: une coalition exige plus de transparence sur le milieu carcéralUN GROUPE ANTIRACISTE RÉCLAME UNE ENQUÊTE PUBLIQUE SUR LA MORT DU DÉTENU DE BORDEAUXRights group seeks public inquiry into death of man in Montreal jailLobby group seeks public inquiry in Montreal man's jail deathAnti-racism group calls for release of video in connection with Montreal jail deathCivil rights group calls for inquiry into death of illegally jailed 21-year-old black manUne coalition réclame la publication de la vidéo de l’interventionLobby group seeks public inquiry, release of video in Montreal man’s jail deathAnti-racism group claims Quebec told Longueuil police to ignore court order on racial profilingAllison Hanes: Montreal prison death demands urgent answersRed Coalition: Quebec ministry told Longueuil police force to defy court order on racial profilingQuebec told Longueuil police to disregard court order on racial profiling, says anti-racism groupCivil rights group accuses Quebec of covering up race-based police dataQue s’est-il passé à Bordeaux ?Public inquiry ordered into jail death of illegally detained Montreal manPublic inquest to be held into death of man in Montreal jailChief coroner orders public inquiry into death of 21-year-old illegally detained at Bordeaux jailCoroner orders public inquiry into Montreal man's jail deathIl y aura une enquête publique du coroner sur la mort de Nicous SpringRed Coalition calling for investigation into systemic racism in Quebec jailsChief Coroner orders public inquiry into death of Nicous SpringPolice union head tells Montreal's new chief: staffing shortages 1st, community policing 2ndPROFILAGE RACIAL: UNE PLAINTE OFFICIELLE DÉPOSÉE CONTRE LA VILLE DE LONGUEUILCoalition alleges contempt of court against LongueuilPROFILAGE RACIAL: «LA CAQ DOIT TENIR SES PROMESSES», ESTIME LA COALITION ROUGEGroups to kick off Black History Month with measures to fight racism
February
Anti-racism group accuses Montreal-area school of systemic racismCalls grow to change streets named after Christopher Columbus on island of MontrealQuebec sisters afraid to go school, say racism complaints ignoredGroup says private school near Montreal ignored racism complaintsCas de racisme et de cyberintimidation au Collège Bourget de RigaudUn citoyen souhaite «annuler» Christophe Colomb à Pointe-ClaireRACISME ET CYBERINTIMIDATION: LE COLLÈGE BOURGET MIS EN DEMEUREBlack anti-racism groups lob volleys at Canada and QuebecProminent Quebeckers voice support for Trudeau’s anti-Islamophobia representativeProminent Québecers plead for federal anti-Islamophobia rep to be given a chancePetition against Bill 21 tabled at National AssemblyMontreal police brotherhood says it's too easy to blame its members for racial profilingLongueuil, other Quebec police slow in implementing race-based data frameworkAucune accusation ne sera portée contre les policiers qui ont tué Junior OlivierCalls for police accountability as officers who fatally shot Jean René Olivier face no chargesLack of care on Loyola property "unacceptable":DeBellefeuilleGroups call to cancel puppet show featuring minstrel characterUn spectacle pour enfants sème la controverse dans l’ouest de MontréalUn exemple de « racisme systémique », dénoncent des associationsLocal Montreal play carries on despite upset over controversial puppetFamily of man killed by Repentigny police says lawsuit incomingLa mère de Jean-René Junior Olivier poursuit la Ville de RepentignyLa mère de Jean-René Junior Olivier, abattu par des policiers de Repentigny en août 2021, a déposé une poursuite contre la Ville de RepentignyFamily of Black man killed by Repentigny police files to sue city for $430K in damages
March
Red Coalition alleges SPVM withholding findings on racial profilingAnti-racism group says Montreal police withheld findings of racial profiling reportUN GROUPE ANTIRACISTE AFFIRME QUE LE SPVM A RETENU LES CONCLUSIONS D'UN RAPPORT SUR LE PROFILAGE RACIALThis boarded-up building lays bare Montreal's crumbling social housing systemCity of Longueuil facing contempt charges related to police racial profilingLE PROFILAGE RACIAL EXERCÉ PAR LA POLICE DANS LA MIRE DU MINISTRE BONNARDELQuebec Bill on police practices facing criticismEthics complaint filed against Montreal executive committee chairperson"Smokescreen; a dog and pony show"City of Longueuil, Que. gets postponement of contempt of court charges
May
Pearson Board denies allegations of systemic racism, assaultAllegations of discrimination and racism at Montreal-area elementary schoolPlea to integrate permanent residents into Quebec police forcesPlaidoyer pour intégrer des résidents permanents au sein des corps policiers québécoisPolicier au Québec: un métier encore fermé aux résidents permanents
July
Red Coalition to SPVM: amend random stops policyLa Coalition rouge presse le SPVM de «réviser» sa Politique d’interpellationRed Coalition demanding Montreal police review street checks policyUn groupe de pression veut recenser l’ethnicité des personnes interpelléesAnti-racism group wants Montreal police to review street check policy'Unusual time to be driving': Anti-racism group calls on Montreal police to modify street checksKirkland resident says he was pulled over in NDG for being BlackLaval police handcuff, illegally search Black military man’s home after street check: Red CoalitionLaval man accuses police of racial profiling, intends to file human rights complaintMilitary aerospace engineer says he was racially profiled by Laval policeCanadian Forces’ member out for run ‘mocked,’ alleges racial profiling by policeMan alleges random police stop in South Shore led to illegal search, fine for contraband cigarettesMontreal man to file human rights complaint over traffic stop by Roussillon police‘Gross incompetence:’ Man ticketed for contraband cigarettes says he was racially profiled
2022
January
February
April
Quebec study exposes dramatic increase in police fundingNew initiative asks Montreal, Ottawa residents to film police interventionsMontrealers to have a say in hiring next police chief'We need to humanize the police': Que. police association aims to improve public image with new campaignVideo shows Montreal police officer pushing homeless man into concrete block; SPVM investigatingSPVM investigation follows video appearing to show abuse by two Montreal police officers
Categories
no categories