The man whose house in Saint-Romuald has been carefully examined since Wednesday as part of a Quebec police investigation linked to the disappearance of Marilyn Bergeron was arrested Thursday after physically attacking a journalist from Newspaper.
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Apparently irritated by the presence of the media, the man insulted the representative of the Newspaper while the latter was taking pictures of the home in the exercise of his work and while he was on the sidewalk, on the second day of the police deployment in Lévis.
Yvon Côté, who is not the subject of any arrest or charge in relation to the disappearance file, was like the day before in his vehicle near the police deployment.
“Let me see you take a picture my tabarnak (sic)”, launched the sexagenarian, who is co-owner of the residence on chemin du Sault according to municipal registers.
He got out of his car and pushed journalist Jérémy Bernier with both hands into a snow bank, without causing him any injury.
The scene took place under the eyes of police officers who quickly intervened to defuse the situation.
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In prison
Our journalist decided to file a complaint, which led to the arrest of Côté for assault and threats by the police department of the City of Lévis, which has jurisdiction over the territory.
According to spokesperson Christian Cantin, he should spend the night in detention, pending his scheduled appearance Friday at the Quebec courthouse.
“We confirm that a complaint has been lodged with the police. This is an absolutely unacceptable gesture. The work of our journalists in the field is essential and their safety is our top priority. We are taking all the means to ensure this,” said Sébastien Ménard, publisher and editor-in-chief of the Quebec newspaper.
This situation comes at a time when several voices are being raised to denounce the intimidation of journalists.
In Ottawa, on the sidelines of the mobilization against health measures, several members of the press were the target of regrettable remarks and gestures.
On February 9 in Quebec City, a TVA Nouvelles vehicle that was in the parking lot of the Quebec newspaper was also vandalized.
“To attack a journalist, it makes no sense,” denounced the president of the Professional Federation of Journalists of Quebec, Michaël Nguyen, who wants an “important message” from the courts.
VAT Photo, Sébastien Dubois
The search is over
For its part, the Quebec City Police Service (SPVQ) continued its search on Thursday in the residence on chemin du Sault, a few blocks from where Marilyn Bergeron was last seen there. at 14.
However, the efforts seem to be over. Shortly before 6:00 p.m., the command post and the forensic identification truck left the scene. In addition, backfilling operations were underway with a public works team from the City of Quebec. Stones and gravel were probably dumped to fill the void of the excavation.
The SPVQ once again refused to confirm any link with the disappearance of the young woman. His parents admitted on Wednesday that they had been informed of the police deployment.
— With the collaboration of Jérémy Bernier and Jean-François Racine