by SAMER ELATRASH

Despite mounting anecdotal evidence collected by community groups and anti-racist organizations, racial profiling isn’t a serious problem in this city, according to Montreal police.

“We don’t approach people because of culture and race,” says Louise Haché, community relations officer at Station 11 in NDG. “The accusation is unfair.”

Fady Dagher, police commander of Station 30 in St-Michel, says he hears no complaints about racial profiling in his district, but doesn’t deny the possibility of isolated incidents. “If there is a problem, there’s a procedure that doesn’t allow profiling, since 2004.”

Dagher says that all departments receive ethical training, and a new action plan on racial profiling will be unveiled “in a few years.”

The provincial government, which set up a task force on racial profiling in 2003 and will hold a consultation on racism this week, also says that there’s no cause for concern about racial profiling in Quebec. Marie-Helene Paradis, spokeswoman with the immigration and cultural communities ministry, says, “There’s no proof—[racial profiling] is a thing that’s very difficult to prove.”

So why spend tax money on a public consultation for an anti-racist government policy, and on a task force on racial profiling? “We don’t take anything for granted,” Paradis explains.

Youth beg to differ

However, Marlo Ritchie, director of NDG-based community group Head and Hands, says racial profiling is rife, especially in metro stations. Part of the problem is that police are defensive about the issue, and respond with “token gestures of openness,” she says.

Head and Hands distributed surveys on racial profiling to youth in NDG, and, according to Ritchie, the survey’s respondents believe that action needs to be taken on the issue.

“Youth who come to us have a strong understanding of what racial profiling means,” she says. A few youth from Head and Hands’ drop-in centre told the Mirror they are often singled out for abuse by police and metro security.

Head and Hands street workers, who observe happenings at Vendôme and Villa Maria metros, agree that the youth are targeted.

“Cops would pull them over and ticket them,” says Andy Williams, a street worker with Head and Hands. The targeted youth “are mostly black and people of colour,” he adds.

Haché admits that a task force from Station 11 often tickets kids in metro stations for loitering, which violates municipal bylaws, but denies it engaged in racial profiling. “How often do you see a group of elderly people just sitting in the metro and doing nothing?” she asks.

There is also the problem of crime at these metros, although Haché says the number of muggings has declined in recent years.

Making faces

Testimonies gathered by Head and Hands and the Centre for Research-Action on Race Relations (CRARR) suggest that some youth have been targeted based on racist stereotypes. Sergio, 19, told the Mirror that police stopped him and a friend at Vendôme metro and asked them to empty their pockets. Sergio says a police officer told him, “Maybe your black friend has something on him,” by way of explanation.

“The majority of youth we’re hearing from are youth of colour and marginalized youth living in group homes,” says Ritchie.

Fo Niemi, director of CRARR, says his group has filed 12 complaints this year to the Police Ethics Committee on incidents of racial profiling, six of them in metros. He says one complaint details how police officers stopped two black men in Côte Vertu metro, pinned them to a wall and frisked them. The police charged the two men with obstruction and resisting arrest. Niemi says the arresting officer said in his report that one of the men had “made faces” at him.

Niemi, who also sits on the government’s task force on racial profiling, says he hears many complaints, but the police and the government respond by “denying, dismissing and delaying action.” It’s gotten so bad, says Niemi, that “if you’re young or black in a metro, you’re at risk. Your freedom as a citizen is reduced.”

Niemi says the tactics turn these youth against them. “They lose confidence in the police.”

Head and Hands and CRARR are urging youth who feel they’ve been racially harassed or discriminated against to step up and challenge their tickets. They provide free legal advice.

Contacts: Head and Hands: (514) 481 0277. Center for Research-Action on Race Relations: (514) 939 994.