This article written in french by Nicholas Pereira was automatically translated using ChatGPT.

A 31-year-old Torontonian is denouncing an incident of police brutality and racial profiling that occurred during his stay in Laval on the night of September 1.

Gulaid Mahdi Omar and his friends had just exited a rented vehicle when they were reportedly intercepted by police. The officers allegedly instructed them to return to the vehicle.

A video posted on social media shows the aftermath of the intervention, during which police attempted to subdue Mr. Omar on the ground. The Red Coalition, which fights against racial profiling and systemic racism, notes that one officer allegedly placed a knee on his neck, but this cannot be confirmed with the available footage. Several blows were reportedly struck, and the Black man can be heard saying he “can’t breathe.”

(Video courtesy: The Red Coalition)

His friends, who were in the vehicle at the time, also told the police that he couldn’t breathe. “If he can talk, he can breathe,” responded the Laval Police Service officer.

“The footage from this video is deeply troubling and reminiscent of the assault and death of George Floyd [in the United States] in 2019,” commented Joel DeBellefeuille, executive director and founder of The Red Coalition, in a statement. “This is the most shocking and disturbing case of racial profiling I have ever seen. Mr. Mahdi was clearly compliant, yet the officers continued to use excessive force.”

According to the group, the police also sprayed the victim with pepper spray and used a Taser. The Torontonian had to be transported to the hospital by ambulance, incurring a $350 fee. He was diagnosed with a concussion, in addition to having several visible bruises.

“Why would I not listen to armed men enforcing the law? Do I want to die at 30 for nothing? I complied all the way, as you can see in the video! I have nothing to hide,” wrote Gulaid Mahdi Omar on his X account.

Laval Police Version

The Service de police de Laval (SPL) states that the intervention began when a pair of officers noticed a running vehicle with three occupants near a licensed establishment in Pont-Viau.

Due to the late hour and the vehicle’s location, the officers intercepted it to check the driver’s capabilities.

“The intercepted individual refused to cooperate with the police and resisted, forcing them to use a continuum of force,” states the SPL. “He was arrested and released on summons. Criminal charges may be filed by the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions.”

He was also issued traffic tickets under the Highway Safety Code.

According to The Red Coalition, he received two fines of $176 each. The first was for his inability to present a valid driver’s license, while the second was for not having proof of car insurance. The organization insists that he was not the driver of the vehicle at that time.

The police department claims it has reviewed the videos related to this intervention. “After analysis, the intervention was conducted according to protocols,” states Courrier Laval. “The involved officers are not suspended.”

The SPL also assures that no form of discrimination is tolerated within its organization. “Integrity, respect, and diversity are at the core of our police service’s values and guide our daily actions and commitment to the Laval community.”

Legal Action

Gulaid Mahdi Omar has tasked The Red Coalition with holding the involved officers accountable and pursuing legal action to the fullest extent permitted by law. The organization “is preparing to immediately file a complaint for police ethics violations and is working closely with its partners to ensure justice is served.”

It is worth noting that the Commissioner of Police Ethics and the Commission on Human Rights and Youth Rights are among the independent bodies that allow any citizen to file a complaint regarding a police intervention.

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The latter is currently detained, following a first charge relating to crimes of sexual nature, but the investigation has established he also allegedly assaulted a second victim.

Investigators have reason to believe Cauvier may have made other victims, with different attack strategies.

The Facts

Initially arrested on Oct. 10 for attempted kidnapping, the suspect is now accused, in two different cases, for the following offences: kidnapping, sequestration, sexual assault, assault with a weapon, death threats and attempting to administer narcotics to its victims.

He allegedly approached them in outdoor parking lots to attempt to drug them, abduct them and physically assault them.

Although his action plan is similar (for each victim), investigators aren’t ruling rule out the hypothesis he could have used different schemes with other victims.

It’s also likely that he’s been active for many years in a larger sector of Laval, and the North Shore.

Anyone who would have been a victim of Cauvier, or has information about this file, can communicate, confidentially, on the SPL info line at 450 662-INFO (4636) or 911, mentioning the file. LVL-221001-007. (C.P./IJL)

translated by Alec Brideau

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The major operation, related to urban firearm violence in recent months, is being deployed in collaboration with the police forces of Montreal, Deux-Montagnes, Saint-Jérôme and Longueuil.

About 150 police officers are working on that case, carrying out the various interventions, some of which are taking place in Montreal, Saint-Jérôme and Deux-Montagnes.

That’s the result of an investigation, initiated in August as part of the Centaur project, in which the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are also taking part.

At the SPL, it’s the Organized Crime Division that’s involved in the operation, which has already been helpful, since narcotics and firearms would have already been confiscated.

A more complete report of the operation, which is still in progress, will be presented later.

translated by Alec Brideau

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The activity took place in collaboration with the Public safety research and innovation centre (RISC Centre).

“Bringing together many organizations that would be called upon to intervene and take decisions during a rail accident involving dangerous materials, the scenario for this exercise was developed on the basis of a very real risk on the territory,” said Claude Lussier, head of operations division of the Laval’s Fire and Safety Department.

The initiative aimed to enable participants to better prepare, practice and update their knowledge of response procedures for such a disaster.

“It was also an excellent opportunity to discuss with stakeholders from the different organizations, and share our knowledge,” Lussier added.

Many Goals

The main goal of that exercise was to allow Laval’s emergency responders and main partners to practice managing a disaster occurring on the territory.

It also consisted of practicing the alert and the mobilization of the various services involved in the management of a major disaster, without forgetting to allow stakeholders from different departments to practice coordinating such an situation.

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Most of the reports had similarities. The puppies, mostly French bulldog, had all been posted on classifieds websites.

The suspects showed up in groups at the address where the puppies were, and used force, sometimes even prohibited weapons like cayenne pepper, to flee with the pets.

Arrests

At the end of October 2021, an 18-year-old Laval resident was arrested, while in action, in Thurso, in the regional county municipality of Papineau.

After the arrest, SQ investigators from across the province worked together to link files, and submit them to the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions, who issued arrest warrants, executed on Wednesday, Nov. 16.

Investigators from the Vaudreuil-Dorion Major Crimes Investigation Team arrested Mohammed Bjitar and Algo Brian Fotso Youmby, both 19-year-old Laval residents, as well as Denzel Lina, a Blainvillois, also 19 years old.

The suspects had a video appearance, in connection with residential break-ins, robbery, possession of a prohibited weapon, and carrying a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

Two of the three arrested suspects were already detained on Montreal soil, in a provincial establishment.

The third suspect also remains detained, following his first appearance in the case.

“Although this made it possible to resolve a few cases, including that which occurred on Oct. 25, 2021, in Sainte-Anne-de-Sabrevois, the investigation is continuing,” said the SQ by press release. “More arrests could follow.” (B.L.)

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For its part, the Fraternité des policiers de Laval came out publicly, first to direct its thoughts to the victims, families, as well as students and staff of the CEGEP, having lived through horrible hours in being confined after the discharge of gunshotsthat occurred on the evening of Nov. 11.

It also mentioned “the great work, commitment and availability of its members during the large-scale operation deployed”.

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The fire allegedly occurred around 4:40 a.m. in a commercial complex, on Curé-Labelle Boulevard, located a bit north of Cartier Boulevard.

Once at the scene, Laval’s firefighters and police officers found that the small strip of garden adorning the front of the Nuits de Beyrouth restaurant had flamed.

An object would have also been thrown against the shop window, but the fire would have extinguished itself, even before the arrival of emergency services on site.

Laval’s police indicate that this wouldn’t be the first event of that kind to occur at the location.

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More than 1,200 operations were performed during those six days. That resulted in the issuance of 3,500 tickets, of which nearly 500 were issued to pedestrians and cyclists.

Unfortunately, 30 collisions involving pedestrians, and 16 involving cyclists took place during this period.

The interventions carried out by officers aimed, particularly, to raise the awareness of road users, in order to help secure the transport networks. The presence of the patrollers was particularly visible in school zones.

This national operation was organized as part of a partnership between the Association des directeurs de police du Québec, the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), Quebec’s police and the SAAQ. (C.P./IJL)

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The incident took place around 11:38 a.m. yesterday, time of the 911 call.

The first firefighters arrived on the scene at 11:44 a.m., noting with relief that no one was inside the vehicles struck at the time of the collision.

However, the driver was in a bad shape, the safety airbags of her vehicle having deployed under the impact of the accident.

The firefighters quickly freed the woman, and handed her over to the care of Urgences-santé paramedics. She suffered minor injuries in her misadventure.

“We were lucky no one else was injured in such circumstances [i.e. in a busy commercial parking lot],” said Vincent Mercier, chief of operations for Laval’s Fire and Safety Department.

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When they arrived near avenue des Érables, the firefighters and police spotted the car.

During the intervention, the emergency services managed to rescue two of the three occupants of the vehicle, who were immediately transported to a hospital center.

Firefighters from Laval’s Fire and Safety Department are continuing their search to find the third missing person by boat.

More details to come.

Translated by Corinne Prince

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