The Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse (CDPDJ) welcomed on Wednesday the decision of the Superior Court of Quebec prohibiting random roadside interceptions, with the aim of combating racial profiling.
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“The number of arrests of black people while driving is disproportionate to their demographic weight, hence the importance of this decision, which represents a major step forward in the fight against racial profiling,” said Myrlande Pierre, vice-president President of the CDPDJ.
According to her, this judgment goes in the same direction as a recommendation formulated on several occasions by the Commission, namely the immediate and definitive prohibition of all police arrests without real reason of pedestrians and vehicle passengers.
“This decision comes above all to recognize the impact of these arrests on tens of thousands of black people who are stigmatized and monitored each time they are on the road,” said Ms. Pierre.
The Superior Court of Quebec announced its decision on Tuesday, following an appeal filed by Joseph Christopher Luamba, of Haitian origin, who had been the subject of three police arrests in Montreal in one year, and without valid reason, according to him.
However, a period of six months was granted before the application of this decision.
The power to intercept without cause was granted to the police by the Supreme Court in 1990.