The rain did not prevent dozens of residents from gathering in the borough of Anjou, in Montreal, to demand actions to put an end to the outbreak of violence in the neighborhood.
The event took place just over a week after a shooting claimed the life of 20-year-old Hani Ouahdi and injured a 17-year-old in the area.
The marchers gathered in the Bocage park, armed with signs that read “Safety in my neighborhood”.
Parents and residents of Anjou, as well as teachers from the Roseraies primary school, which is near the scene of the shooting, joined forces to organize the march. They demand the establishment of infrastructures for the young people of the district, in particular the establishment of a youth center, and leisure activities, to prevent them from turning to crime.
“We want there to be means put in place very quickly, because we are in a desert of full services. There is absolutely nothing to hook young people to anything other than crime in the central Anjou sector, ”said Chantal Poulin, teacher at the Roseraies school.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Chantal Poulin, teacher at the Roseraies school
I don’t want to look at my students today and then tell myself that these are the criminals of tomorrow because there is nothing else to hang them up on.
Chantal Poulin, teacher at the Roseraies school
The teacher explains that the community has seen a real increase in violence in the area since the start of the year. “We, there are children who arrive at school, practically every day, who tell us that they have heard gunshots, that they have witnessed violent events, that they have committed themselves. beat up, that they are afraid, ”she said.
Chantal Poulin fears that a feeling of fear will generalize in the face of the increase in violence. “We have parents who come to drive the children away morning, noon and evening, because they are afraid for their children when they live at 20 [ou] 25 meters from the school, ”she emphasizes.
The organizers of the march are also calling for the creation of a permanent budget to fight poverty and crime. They also wish to receive grants from the government program for the prevention of delinquency through sport, the arts and culture.
David Iera lives in Anjou with his two children. He hopes that actions will be taken to develop the activities offered to young people in the neighborhood.
I grew up in Montreal-Nord, a neighborhood where, over the years [1990], there were problems of violence. I have seen the changes that have taken place with youth assistance programs and the involvement of the police force and awareness.
David Iera, resident of Anjou
For her part, Saliha Ouamara, resident of Anjou for 21 years, is now thinking of leaving the neighborhood. The violence “progresses until the event that we recently experienced. It’s really very scary, we are not safe, ”she said.
Anjou is safe, according to the borough
Friday, the borough of Anjou released a press release in order to reassure its residents, saying that despite “the episodes of violence that Montreal is experiencing, Anjou remains a safe borough”. For Chantal Poulin, “it’s excessively insulting”. “It is a complete trivialization of what is experienced,” she denounced.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
New Democrat MP Alexandre Boulerice and Minister of Canadian Heritage Pablo Rodriguez
Several politicians took part in the march, including the Minister of Canadian Heritage Pablo Rodriguez, the NDP MP for the riding of Rosemont – La Petite-Patrie Alexandre Boulerice and the Liberal MP for Viau Frantz Benjamin.
Violence in the streets of Montreal has struck down several young people in 2021. Thomas Trudel, 16, was shot dead in November in the Saint-Michel district. Jannai Dopwell-Bailey, 16, died after being stabbed last October in the Côte-des-Neiges area. Before them, 15-year-old Meriem Boundaoui died after being shot in the Saint-Léonard area in February.