An investigation was opened by Montreal police into acts of vandalism committed on the premises of Radio-Canada in Montreal earlier this week. Gestures claimed online as a response to the recent broadcast of a report by the show Investigation on gender transition therapy for minors.
At 2:20 a.m. on March 13, a call was made to 911 concerning misdeeds committed on the building of “a media company” in the Ville-Marie borough, confirmed the Ville-Marie police department. of Montreal (SPVM).
“Upon their arrival on the scene, the police noticed that there were broken windows at one of the entrances to the building,” explains a spokesperson for the police force, Caroline Chèvrefils.
According to the first information available, “one or more suspects” caused this damage before fleeing, she adds. The investigation is still ongoing and no arrests have been made at this time.
The SPVM intends to view images from surveillance cameras that captured the scene.
The state-owned company confirmed on Saturday that it had been the target of these acts of vandalism. “Suspects actually damaged three windows in our building and then fled,” said its spokesperson, Marc Pichette. This is an unfortunate act of vandalism. »
Claimed online
On Friday, an anonymous press release was published on the Montréal Contre-information website, a platform used by anarchist activists to claim their actions. The text suggests that these acts of vandalism are intended as a response to the recent broadcast of a report on the program Investigation on gender transition therapy.
Broadcast on February 29, the report in question, entitled Trans Expressis interested in the issue of adolescents who wish to change their gender and the fact that the Quebec health system “responds very quickly to their requests for medical transition by prescribing blockers, testosterone and mastectomies”.
“Is it normal for a 14-year-old girl to get a testosterone prescription within minutes? », We can read in the description of the investigation, on the show’s website.
However, the text published on Montréal Counter-information accuses the state corporation of “using its large platform to amplify transphobic speeches close to those of the extreme right”.
“This report represents an ideological shift which serves to legitimize the transphobic demands of the far right, which will fuel violence against trans communities, which are currently increasingly targeted,” continues the text, the authors of which remain unknown.
Radio-Canada did not immediately wish to comment on these accusations.
The Press reported this week that several days before the report was broadcast, on February 29, various media outlets had been encouraged to demolish the report.Investigation, presented as a platform offered by Radio-Canada to the transphobic far right.