Police investigation into Chinese ‘police stations’ is discriminatory, community says

Montreal’s Chinese community says a police investigation into alleged “Chinese police stations” amounts to racial discrimination – and is inciting racism and fear.

Earlier this month Quebec RCMP alleged two secret police stations in the Montreal area are being operated by Chinese authorities at community organizations.

The RCMP say both locations are non-profit organizations that help newcomers to Canada: Chinese Family Service of Greater Montreal in Chinatown and the Centre Sino-Québec de la Rive-Sud located in Brossard.

Police described the alleged operation as overseas outposts that serve to “persuade” people who Chinese authorities claim are fugitives to return to China to face charges.

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Montreal’s Chinese community says the allegations are discriminatory.

“We already feel the fear this investigation brought to us,” said Tina Jiuru Zhu, the president of the Canada-China Friendship Promotion Association.

“You know how many RCMP investigation cases? There are thousands. But they just publish two Chinese community investigations to the public and the media then made it hot.”

‘You’re a Chinese secret police’

Zhu, an interior designer with her own shop in Ville-Émard, says the media reports and RCMP investigation has led many customers to treat her differently.

“They call me, ‘you’re a Chinese secret police,’” she said.

“First is after the espionage case of Yuesheng Wang. They came to my place… They said to me, Tina, ‘you are Chinese spy’, but in a tone that is joking. But I can feel the division, I can feel the division.

“I feel really hurt and it’s not fair to us. I feel it is racist and it is really bad because I have good relationship with my country. Now we divided.”

A few dozen people gathered at Montreal’s Place Sun-Yat-Sen Sunday to express their displeasure with the allegations. They then marched to the Guy-Favreau Complex.

Montrealers protest sinophobia after RCMP announced an investigation into alleged “Chinese police stations” in the city’s Chinatown on March 19, 2023. (Credit: Diona Macalinga/CityNews)

‘The harm is sinophobia’

Ging Wee Dere, a member of Progressive Chinese of Quebec, claims the RCMP’s suspicion is unfounded.

“They have not given any evidence, and they have not even spoke to the people who are members or part of the two organizations that they’ve been accusing publicly,” said Dere.

“The harm is sinophobia. Sinophobia is the fear of China and Chinese people.

“If you have a Chinese person walking down the street, an ordinary person would think, ‘is this the person that is under investigation by the RCMP? Is this the person that I need to fear?’”

Montrealers protest sinophobia after RCMP announced an investigation into alleged “Chinese police stations” in the city’s Chinatown on March 19, 2023. (Credit: Diona Macalinga/CityNews)

The RCMP has not disclosed why they suspect the two centres as a national threat since they announced the investigation on March 9. CityNews reached out to the RCMP but did not immediately hear back.

“I wish RCMP do a clear investigation and I wish our Chinese community be aware the racism is there and we want the other community to know us well, not influenced by the media. Be just to us, be clear to us,” said Zhu.