A civil rights group is calling for the release of any video evidence of the scene that led to the death of Nicous d’Andre Spring on December 24 at the Bordeaux prison, where he was illegally detained.
At a press conference on Saturday, the Red Coalition also called for the launch of a public coroner’s inquiry, an independent autopsy of the young man’s body and the creation of a citizen committee to review the prison system in Quebec.
“The family has very little information, no matter where, namely [ce qui s’est vraiment passé]but it is reasonable to think that there is video, and we ask that it be made public, ”insisted the director of racial profiling and public security of the Red Coalition, Alain Babineau.
There are versions of the people at the scene, but the family doesn’t believe it, the community doesn’t believe it, and what better than a video to understand what happened, like during the police interventions .
Alain Babineau, Director of Racial Profiling and Public Safety for the Red Coalition
According to this former agent of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, these requests are made, among other things, because the family and relatives of Nicous d’Andre Spring no longer have confidence in Quebec institutions.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Alain Babineau, from the Red Coalition
“When a community loses confidence in its government institutions, the communities no longer believe in the reports that come out of government institutions, so it is normal to ask that independent entities be able to look [là-dessus] “, continued Alain Babineau.
More broadly, the Red Coalition sees in the death of Nicous d’Andre Spring further proof of the systemic racism affecting the Quebec state.
In Canada, black people represent 9.2% of the incarcerated population, but only 3.5% of the Canadian population, recalled Alain Babineau.
His family, who were originally scheduled to speak to the media on Saturday, eventually backed out. “The family has been under immense pressure, as you can imagine,” said Alain Babineau.
“A pattern”
Nicous D’Andre Spring died after an intervention by correctional officers at Bordeaux prison on December 24. He should have been released the day before after a videoconference, like two other people in the same situation, and was therefore in illegal detention during the intervention which preceded his death.
A series of lapses in the use of pepper spray allegedly preceded his death, later learned The Press from various sources.
Since then, a correctional officer and the head of unit involved in the intervention have been suspended. These suspensions are not enough, however, believes a member of the black community of Montreal, the professor at the college John Abbott David Austin.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
David Austin, Professor at John Abbott College
It can’t be reduced to inexperience. It’s a “pattern” that has been going on for decades. Suspending a few people will not tackle this problem.
David Austin, Professor at John Abbott College
The latter took the time to recall the facts to show the extent of the tragedy. “They put a spit mask on him, they peppered him, they probably beat him. What is being described to us is a simulated drowning. Let’s take a moment and think about this, it’s a form of torture, ”he explained, visibly in shock.
The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) has opened a criminal investigation and the Ministry of Public Security an administrative investigation. The coroner’s office must also look into the causes and circumstances of the inmate’s death.