Longueuil police are investigating death threats aimed at Mayor Catherine Fournier, linked to the controversial issue on deer in Michel-Chartrand Park.
These threats have been made by the same individual for several weeks, indicated to The Press Olivier Simard, from the mayor’s office.
“The file is under investigation and the arrest of the main suspect has not been made,” confirmed Inspector Gino Iannone, corporate spokesperson for the Longueuil Agglomeration Police Service (SPAL). He said he could not go into details on how these threats were expressed against M.me Fournier.
Remember that the issue of the overpopulation of white-tailed deer in this Longueuil park has been raising passions for several years. On October 26, the Quebec Court of Appeal — the highest court in the province — upheld a previous Superior Court judgment allowing the city to move forward with the slaughter of certain animals, by a controlled hunting.
This is not the first time that the saga over the deer in Michel-Chartrand Park has led to criminal acts. In 2020, three individuals were arrested in Longueuil for death threats against the city’s former mayor, Sylvie Parent, still in connection with the controversial decision to kill certain deer in this municipal park.
Increased protection around the mayor
Since September, a close protection system has been put in place around Catherine Fournier, the mayor’s office also indicated. Or even before receiving these death threats.
It was the SPAL which proposed establishing this protocol in order to better protect the elected official, explains Inspector Iannone. “There were several incidents that could have compromised the mayor’s security, but without constituting a criminal act,” he says. It was put in place “in the context where Mme Fournier is very present in the public arena, managing many polarizing issues, he adds. There is a lot of excitement around the mayor, and we did not want to wait until events [malheureux] arrive. »
The police officers assigned to protect the mayor are part of the SPAL teams, and have also received training from the Sûreté du Québec and the Ministry of Public Security. They are not deployed 24 hours a day, but rather depending on “potential threats”, specifies Mr. Iannone.
SPAL did not have to hire new resources to ensure this protocol. This restructuring has no impact on “direct services to citizens”, he adds.
In Longueuil, this is the first time that such a protection protocol has been deployed around an elected official, underlines Mr. Iannone. “Everyone has the right to freedom of expression — [notamment] on the debate related to deer — but we will apply the Criminal Code to the letter,” he warns. “All cases, including threats, will be treated seriously. »