Francis Chartrand for Rivière-des-Mille-Îles

12/08/2008 05h19

I have great respect for police. I would not do their job for nothing in the world.

On the one hand, they are asked to be tough against criminals. On the other hand, we want them to demonstrate openness and understanding.

You can imagine their situation? It should not be funny every day to be taken sandwiched between criminals who dream of you fuck a bullet between the eyes and pressure groups who rise to the barricades when you use a little too your muscles.

It must be hard on the nerves.

THAT IT HAS THE PAST?

However, even if I have much sympathy for the cops, I asked about the events surrounding the death of Freddy Villanueva, the young man shot dead by a policeman during an intervention that went wrong, Saturday evening, in Montreal North.

What happened? Why the officer he used his firearm to calm youth rather than a jug of cayenne pepper?

Did he panic? Was there any reason to believe that his life and that of his consoeur were in danger?

This tragedy is all the more regrettable that, according to Christine Black, director of the Youth Centre Escale, the summer had been relatively quiet in the neighborhood.

"We spent a quiet summer, I said it. A few hours before the death of Freddy, a disputed youth basketball game against policemen, not far away. The youths sat in the stands applauding whenever the police had a point. There was no tension, everybody fun ... "

THE TWITS

For now, we do not know what exactly happened at the rear of the arena-Henri Bourassa, Saturday evening.

But one thing is sure: the voltage is cut with a knife in the district. Several residents say they are victims of harassment by the police.

"The police who patrol the neighborhood of members of street gangs, said Michelet. They know who they are. Why do they embêtent everyone, then? It is as if the cops embêtaient the full population of a village just because there were few riders ... "

"I feel caught between two groups of twits, I launched Yasser, a young real estate agent: street gangs and police. They are also heavy as the others ... "

THE HATE

In the wake of riots that have engulfed France in November 2005, the director Mathieu Kassovitz wrote on his blog:

"Hatred fuels hatred for centuries and yet Nicolas Sarkozy (who was then Minister of the Interior) still think that repression is the only way to prevent the rebellion ..."

What the future president replied: "Living in a popular district or be the son of immigrant parents does nothing to throw Molotov cocktails on the police and stones at the firefighters. To suggest otherwise is insulting all those who, under conditions of existence identical, behave as responsible citizens." Three years later, the debate has moved with us.

Hopefully we learn from our mistakes cousins. Because violence is unacceptable, from one side to another.

Link

Labels: Richard Martineau

# posted by Francis Chartrand @ 12:01 AM