Red Coalition puts teeth into fight against racial profiling
By Joel Ceausu The Suburban, Sep 6, 2023 Updated Sep 7, 2023
The Red Coalition has bolstered its toolbox of community resources and added voices to its team fighting the scourge of racial profiling.
The anti-racism group’s new Lawyers Against Racial Profiling (L.A.R.P) program will serve as a go-to hub for members well-versed in the complicated landscape of racial profiling. Attorneys are often victims’ first line of defense, and L.A.R.P will recruit practicing attorneys in Quebec, offering membership across Canada. “The battle is real, the victims are real, and it takes key people in the right place,” says RC executive director Joel DeBellefeuille.
To that end, the Coalition has added prominent Montreal legal voices to its team, with criminal lawyer Ralph Mastromonaco and court bailiff and professor Cosimo La Rosa joining the board of the anti-racism advocacy group.
DeBellefeuille told The Suburban at an event also attended by representatives of the West Island Black Community Association and attorneys from Montreal firm Grey Casgrain, that the Coalition is often asked for lawyer referrals by victims of racial profiling and discrimination, a regrettably burgeoning sector of practice that requires a full court press by the legal community.
He says many accuse victims of using the “race card” and to “just let police do their job” not understanding that pride, self-worth, and dignity play a role in people’s actions and responses.
Mastromonaco agrees, saying from the moment racialized persons are intercepted by police in the street, a clear power imbalance prevails and continues into courts as police and police departments benefit from well-funded legal representation. “Our justice system is complicated, slow, and expensive. It is skewed in favour of wearing down victims of racial profiling seeking justice.”
He says attorneys too often enter “guilty plea after guilty plea” for quick, profitable resolution. “Lawyers don’t just need to find racists, they need to prove racism, and it’s a big difference. Fighting racism and discrimination? You can’t make money in that… But we’re telling young lawyers ‘Don’t listen to the prosecution, only the judge can tell you you’re wrong.’” He says LARP can embolden young attorneys, “to file cases, walk into court, fierce, to defend their client.”
The Red Coalition will offer continuing legal education courses recognized by the Barreau du Québec counting towards obligatory training hours, of particular interest to lawyers adhering in the LARP project working systemic racism or racial profiling files.
“The government is out to lunch,” said Mastromonaco. “All we hear from politicians are hollow high-minded words… Fight the cases,” he said. “Win in court.”
DeBellefeuille reminded that “the provincial government had one job to do, protecting each person equally and respectfully, no matter their faith, colour, creed, gender, or ethnicity.”
Instead, multiple roadblocks have arisen: No movement on the Montreal administration’s three-year-old pledge on police body cameras (a week after the slaying of George Floyd); the Legault government appealing the October 2022 Luamba decision invalidating Section 636 of the Highway Safety Code providing legal cover for stopping drivers without reasonable and probable cause; and most recently, Montreal Police Director Fady Dagher rejecting the central, crucial recommendation of the SPVM’s commissioned report – for an immediate street check moratorium – accompanied by near-silent obeisance by the civic authority.
That confirms Mastromonaco’s contention that politics gets in the way of justice “and law lags behind the society it is intended to serve.”
The Red Coalition has bolstered its toolbox of community resources and added voices to its team fighting the scourge of racial profiling.
The anti-racism group’s new Lawyers Against Racial Profiling (L.A.R.P) program will serve as a go-to hub for members well-versed in the complicated landscape of racial profiling. Attorneys are often victims’ first line of defense, and L.A.R.P will recruit practicing attorneys in Quebec, offering membership across Canada. “The battle is real, the victims are real, and it takes key people in the right place,” says RC executive director Joel DeBellefeuille.
To that end, the Coalition has added prominent Montreal legal voices to its team, with criminal lawyer Ralph Mastromonaco and court bailiff and professor Cosimo La Rosa joining the board of the anti-racism advocacy group.
DeBellefeuille told The Suburban at an event also attended by representatives of the West Island Black Community Association and attorneys from Montreal firm Grey Casgrain, that the Coalition is often asked for lawyer referrals by victims of racial profiling and discrimination, a regrettably burgeoning sector of practice that requires a full court press by the legal community.
He says many accuse victims of using the “race card” and to “just let police do their job” not understanding that pride, self-worth, and dignity play a role in people’s actions and responses.
Mastromonaco agrees, saying from the moment racialized persons are intercepted by police in the street, a clear power imbalance prevails and continues into courts as police and police departments benefit from well-funded legal representation. “Our justice system is complicated, slow, and expensive. It is skewed in favour of wearing down victims of racial profiling seeking justice.”
He says attorneys too often enter “guilty plea after guilty plea” for quick, profitable resolution. “Lawyers don’t just need to find racists, they need to prove racism, and it’s a big difference. Fighting racism and discrimination? You can’t make money in that… But we’re telling young lawyers ‘Don’t listen to the prosecution, only the judge can tell you you’re wrong.’” He says LARP can embolden young attorneys, “to file cases, walk into court, fierce, to defend their client.”
The Red Coalition will offer continuing legal education courses recognized by the Barreau du Québec counting towards obligatory training hours, of particular interest to lawyers adhering in the LARP project working systemic racism or racial profiling files.
“The government is out to lunch,” said Mastromonaco. “All we hear from politicians are hollow high-minded words… Fight the cases,” he said. “Win in court.”
DeBellefeuille reminded that “the provincial government had one job to do, protecting each person equally and respectfully, no matter their faith, colour, creed, gender, or ethnicity.”
Instead, multiple roadblocks have arisen: No movement on the Montreal administration’s three-year-old pledge on police body cameras (a week after the slaying of George Floyd); the Legault government appealing the October 2022 Luamba decision invalidating Section 636 of the Highway Safety Code providing legal cover for stopping drivers without reasonable and probable cause; and most recently, Montreal Police Director Fady Dagher rejecting the central, crucial recommendation of the SPVM’s commissioned report – for an immediate street check moratorium – accompanied by near-silent obeisance by the civic authority.
That confirms Mastromonaco’s contention that politics gets in the way of justice “and law lags behind the society it is intended to serve.”
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