A police officer’s knee in the neck of a young black man: The family of a young black man plans to sue in Montreal

A police intervention, filmed in Villarreal on June 10, upset the family of a 14-year-old black teenager whose neck was immobile on the floor at the time, and he plans to prosecute in Montreal City for seeking financial compensation in civil proceedings.

More than 90 seconds in a citizen video It has spread widely on social networks in recent days, We see two police officers arresting a young man in front of a bus shelter in Villarere district. The young man did not appear to be opposed to the arrest. However, the video shows two police officers pushing a teenager to the ground before handcuffing him.

During the operation, one of the two policemen held the young man by the knees around his neck for several seconds. These images were broadcast exclusively by several American media outlets. Quebec’s Prime Minister Franois LeCold was “deeply upset”, As well as the Mayor of Montreal, Valerie Plant. Elected officials called for an independent inquiry into the police intervention.

“The images of the police intervention are worrying, especially as it is about a young man and the intervention took place in front of other young people. These events need to be brought to light,” said Myreland Pierre, vice president of the Human Rights and Youth Rights Commission, earlier this week. In a statement.

Case

So the young man’s family plans to sue the city of Montreal as the boss of the Montreal City Police Department, his lawyer said.^e Fernando Belton, president of St. Michael’s Law Clinic. The latter specializes especially in racial profiling cases.

“If we can prove that there is personal and illegal wrongdoing against my client, we can also pursue the police officers involved through the rich,” the lawyer said. The family must also quickly decide whether or not to sue the city of Montreal in civil proceedings. “In a few weeks, we will know whether or not the case will be filed,” the attorney said, pointing out that the family may also decide to file a complaint to the Commissioner of Police Ethics.

The lawyer says this is the young man’s “first contact” with Montreal police.

“Abuse of Strength”

In the video of the intervention, a police officer can be seen walking in front of the camera, who said he arrested a young man for possessing “a taser” or an electric pulse pistol. However, “the primary motive for the intervention has nothing to do with the discovery of a weapon,” he said.^e Belton. Instead, he points out that the young man was charged under a municipal by-law from the city.

“I do not see how a police officer can interfere with a young white man and use this kind of force to give her a ticket,” the lawyer, who did not hesitate to talk about a “misuse,” slipped away. By the police officers involved in this case.

These are young people who watched George Floyd’s video and never thought it would happen to them in Montreal.

The Montreal Police Department, for its part, pointed out that the analysis of the video in question was “still active”. In an earlier report, the police force explained that it had intervened on June 10 following a fight near Georges-Vanier High School in Villarreal. Agents intervened with two young men to “carry weapons”, which refers to the SPVM.

Fernando Peldon also refers to the second young man in question. The latter, a 14-year-old, was knocked to the ground by several police officers. The young man was later fined for “interfering with the work of the police.”

“These are young people who saw George Floyd’s video and never thought it would happen to them in Montreal,” said Fernando Belton, referring to the two young men.

On May 25, 2020, African-American George Floyd lost his life in Minneapolis below the knees of police officer Derek Chou. The white policeman was also sentenced last week to 22 and a half years in prison.

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