What are the directives given to the police in Israel and Canada?

The International Day for the Fight Against Police Violence takes place on Wednesday, March 15. In Israel the arrival of a new Minister of National Security opens the way to more repression. At the same time, Canada is legislating to avoid the racist excesses of certain police officers.

In Israel, the new Minister of National Security, in favor of a more repressive police

Itamar Ben Gvir, was appointed Minister of National Security three and a half months ago, he is a figure of the far right and a supporter of the hard way. With the Palestinians, and with those who demonstrate by the tens of thousands against government policy and who sometimes invade the Tel Aviv ring road. Ben Gvir qualifies them “anarchists”. Two weeks ago, he therefore ordered the mounted police to charge absolutely peaceful demonstrators in Tel Aviv, scattershot grenades were fired and a dozen people hospitalized. The minister then transferred the Tel Aviv police chief whom he considers too soft, a decision denounced by the government’s legal adviser. His speech is clear: in the country he wants a police force as tough as the Jerusalem police.

Stricter legislation against racism in the police in Canada

In Canada, the population continues to fight against the racism often demonstrated among the police. Last February, the director of police of the city of Montreal admitted, in court, that police officers engage in racial profiling and promised “profound changes”. The president of the Quebec Black League is hopeful that behaviors will evolve and be more supervised: “We have a problem of police brutality, however what is happening is that we also have a judicialization movement, that is to say that more and more individuals and organizations are ensuring that there are legal proceedings.” Since 2020 and the death of George Floyd in the neighboring country, the United States, the fight against racism within the police has taken another turn in Canada. In Quebec, for example, almost six months ago, the Superior Court ordered a ban on roadside interceptions “without real reason” or valid. This is a major decision as the Minister of Public Security must table a bill to review the law on the Quebec police in order to fight against discrimination and racial profiling.