Racial profiling victim awarded $17,000
Commission decision comes eight years after Montreal police arrested teen on bus
Quebec’s Human Rights Commission has ordered the Montreal police department and one of its officers to pay $17,000 to a young black man the commission has ruled was a victim of racial profiling.
But the anti-racism group that has championed the case of plaintiff Victor Whyte acknowledges that even though the incidents are alleged to have occurred in 2009, the case could continue to be disputed before the courts — perhaps for years.
“Montreal police have consistently ignored the commission’s decisions,” said Fo Niemi of the Centre for Research-Action on Race Relations (CRARR).
“We alone have four cases pending before the Human Rights Tribunal.”
Niemi acknowledged that if the Human Rights Tribunal, a branch of Quebec Court, upholds the commission’s ruling, that decision could still be taken to the Quebec Court of Appeal, a process that could last two years.
“But Victor and his mother don’t intend to drop it,” Niemi said.
Whyte, now 24, contends that in February of 2009, he and some friends were at a McDonald’s in LaSalle after attending a basketball game.
They made too much noise and were told to leave, an order that was backed up by police who were called to the scene by the restaurant manager.
Whyte claims that he and his friends tried to leave on a city bus, and as he tried to board at the rear of the vehicle, one police officer, who is black, forcefully pulled him off, ripping Whyte’s shirt and tearing one of the earrings from his ear.
Whyte contends he was pulled off because police claimed he hadn’t paid his fare, even though he had a valid bus pass.
A charge of obstruction laid against Whyte ended up being dismissed but only after a two-year legal battle that kept him out of
school for much of that time.
During a news conference on Thursday, Whyte, who is now attending adult education classes, said police “robbed me of my youth.”
Despite the amount of time it has taken for Whyte’s complaint
to be addressed, he said on Friday that he was ready to see the case through to the end.
“I want to keep this going because the cops keep using excessive force,” he said.
“There’s no reason for them to be aggressive like that.”
I want to keep this going because the cops keep using excessive force.