Activists in Little Burgundy Recount Police Harassment Affecting Black Youth

The Defund the Police Coalition hosted events for Defund Fest to educate Montrealers on the harms of policing and push for a divestment in policing and reinvestment in the community. One of many the panels offered looked at resistance to policing in the neighbourhood of Little Burgundy. The black community has a strong roots in Little Burgundy, which is currently threatened by gentrification, but has also been plagued by policing and racism. 

Panelists included: Ted Rutland, a volunteer at the Coalition to Defund the Police; Svens Telemaque, a Support Services Counselor at DESTA Black Community Network; Kelly Thompson, a Community Support Worker at the St-Antoine 50+ Community Centre; and community organizer Jason Shamba MrBurgz.

Thompson said police officers targeted Black youth in Little Burgundy. "They terrorized our youth on the corners," she said.

She recounted police harassment that Black youth experienced in the 1990's, including harassment from a specific officer.

"It's really funny how in Westmount, if you see a group of young [white] boys, its a fraternity, but if you see a group of young Black boys it's a gang. They harassed, they murdered, they intimidated, they kicked down doors, because they thought there was drug activity in there. They stopped people and harassed them. Physically, brutally, harassing them under the guise that they're protecting us, but they weren't."

"It came out to light how corrupt those officers were, but we had to endure nightmares," said Thompson. She said at night time in Little Burgundy, you could hear gun shots outside your home.

Shamba MrBurgz recounted what it was like to grow up in Little Burgundy at this time.

"I'm a proud product of my neighbourhood, my environment, no matter the good or the bad," he said. He said the police officers Thompson was discussing tried to ruin the neighbourhood.

"The harassment we had to go through with these cops, I don't wish this on my worst enemy," he said. "Back then, you couldn't walk the streets in a group of four ... you couldn't without getting threatened."

Shamba MrBurgz said at that time, Little Burgundy was a very unsafe neighbourhood, not because of the residents, but because of what police did to neighbours in Little Burgundy.