Black community groups say SPVM racism allegations deserve inquiry

[00:00:01]Montreal community leaders are calling for a public inquiry into alleged racism, discrimination, and racial profiling within the SPVM, not only in Montreal North, and other police forces that have been subject of court rulings.

[00:00:16]>> It is still should be part of the first solution to look into the problem, and hopefully this time the commission would have a little more teeth in order to not only make recommendations, but maybe also be able to take concrete actions.

[00:00:29]>> This comes just days after Montreal police announced the suspension of two officers and the reassignment of a team of police personnel over allegations of misconduct in Montreal North. Alex Adrien does not believe that the issue is endemic to station 39 and the borough. It's a province-wide problem, he says.

[00:00:49]>> That's why in our request for for a a investigation, we've already targeted as I would say maybe nine other police forces which have made judgment with judgment with called to investigate for racial profiling or any behavior.

[00:01:04]>> Transparency is not a threat to our institutions. It is essential to their credibility. Edouard Staco said that black youth in Quebec continue to be disproportionately targeted by everyday discrimination, according to a study released by the Afro-Youth Summit and the Observatory of black communities in Quebec in 2025, conducted in collaboration with the polling firm Leger, found that 83% of black respondents reported having experienced discrimination at least once in their lives. And today, he added that Even more concerning is that 66% say they have been treated unfairly by a public service. And as you know, the police are part of that.

[00:01:52]>> It can be catastrophic in terms of mental health when a child is is subjected to any sort of violence, be it from a person, but especially from a police officer, it has a lasting impact on them.

[00:02:08]>> We want to reassure our young people that when we realize they're victims of a situation, we stand up and speak out on their behalf. And I think that's reassuring for them, and it's even part of our duty.