A Quebec judge has ruled that racial profiling is a systemic problem in the Montreal police force and has awarded damages to victims in a class-action lawsuit.
The case was brought by the Black Coalition of Quebec, which was seeking $171 million – up to $5,000 per person who was racially profiled by police.
In a ruling today, Quebec Superior Court Justice Dominique Poulin ordered the City of Montreal to pay $5,000 to certain members of the class, with others entitled to lesser amounts.
The lead plaintiff in the case was Alexandre Lamontagne, who was stopped by police while leaving a bar, pinned to the ground, handcuffed and taken to the station.
He was issued three statements of offence and charged with obstructing police work and assaulting a police officer, but all proceedings against him were eventually dropped.
The trial heard testimony from Montreal police Chief Fady Dagher and Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante.
In August 2019, a Quebec Superior Court judge green-lighted the class action against the City of Montreal on behalf of citizens who allege they were unfairly arrested, detained, and racially profiled by police between mid-August 2017 and Jan 2019.