Allegations of racism at SPVM: Montreal civil rights groups call for public inquiry
Posted June 19, 2026 7:25 am.
Last Updated June 19, 2026 7:26 am.
Four civil society groups are calling on the CAQ government to launch a public inquiry into “police racism and racial profiling within the Montreal Police Service (SPVM).”
Hoodstock, the Saint-Michel Legal Clinic, the League for Rights and Freedoms, and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association sent a letter to Premier Christine Fréchette on Thursday to convey their request.
The letter was sent about a week after the SPVM announced, last Friday evening, that it had disbanded a team from Precinct 39 in Montréal-Nord due to serious allegations of racist behavior.
According to the four signatory organizations, “recent events, as well as testimonies, studies, and court rulings in recent years, demonstrate the importance of a frank and in-depth reflection on ways to combat discriminatory practices within the SPVM.”
In their view, “a public commission of inquiry is the only mechanism that would address the current breach of trust on the part of the entire population toward law enforcement.”
“The people of Quebec deserve public institutions that inspire trust, respect everyone’s rights and freedoms, and are held accountable when serious violations are identified,” the groups argued in their letter.
According to them, “it is essential that structural measures be implemented to identify and correct the institutional flaws, discriminatory practices, and lack of accountability that have allowed racist practices to persist within the SPVM.”
Earlier this week, Fréchette did not rule out launching a public inquiry: “I’m not ruling anything out at this stage. I want us to learn more about how this problem arose and why we’re still in this situation today before deciding on the next steps,” she said Monday on the “Midi info” program broadcast on Ici première.
For now, Quebec has committed to appointing an “independent observer” to monitor the investigation—a measure that the four groups that signed the letter consider “completely insufficient.”
Minister of Internal Security Ian Lafrenière has also not ruled out the possibility of launching a public inquiry “if the investigation fails to shed full light on the events.”
So far, the investigation launched in March by the SPVM has led to the suspension of two police officers—whose cases have been referred to the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions—and the reassignment of 14 others.
The SPVM’s investigation concerns allegations of “unacceptable actions and behavior.” According to reports from several media outlets, police officers allegedly cut the hair of people of color to turn it into “trophies.”
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
