'It's my car. Why am I still being handcuffed?' Man wrongly detained by Montreal police speaks out
When Brice Dossa left a Montreal McDonald's last week and tried to get into his car, he didn't expect to end up in handcuffs.
And he certainly didn't expect that, despite confirming his innocence, officers wouldn't uncuff him right away -- because they didn't have the key.
"I feel traumatized. Humiliated. My human rights [have] been violated. And right now, I don't feel safe around police officers anymore," Dossa told CTV Montreal on Saturday.
On Thursday, plainclothes Montreal police officers detained Dossa, a Black man, who they suspected of stealing his own vehicle.
But when the time came, the officers didn't have the key to uncuff him.
"I asked them, 'so, it's my car. Why am I still being handcuffed? Is it because I'm a Black man?'" Dossa recounted.
The key was eventually delivered and Dossa was released without charges.
A video of a handcuffed Dossa circulated widely on social media, prompting outrage from activists, elected officials and the Montreal community.
A still image of a video showing a plainclothes Montreal police officer with a man in handcuffs during an investigation into a stolen vehicle. (Source: Instagram)
The video does not show the circumstances leading up to the detainment. But according to Dossa, he was caught completely off guard, alleging police gave him little to no information on what was going on.
"I saw a gentleman come from behind, pulling my right hand at the back. [I said], 'What's going on here?'" he recounted.
"The police did not introduce themselves, and say 'I'm police, I'm here for this and that. Give me the papers of the vehicle.' They didn't ask anything. They just harassed me, aggressively, handcuffed me, without even telling me what is happening."
A Tweet from the Montreal police service (SPVM) claims the vehicle lock showed "typical and obvious attempted theft marks," prompting officers to investigate.
"Before they could finish their checks, a citizen walked up to it to take possession of it," another Tweet reads.
"It was at this time that he was temporarily detained for investigation by the two police officers. The citizen was released unconditionally and without charge once the checks were completed."
The SPVM is now conducting a probe into the circumstances surrounding the event.
Quebec's public safety minister, François Bonnardel, is also looking into the incident, his office said in a statement over the weekend.
Dossa says the experience left him with deep scars and he hopes to see consequences for the people involved.
"This cannot be [swept] under the carpet."
With files from CTV News' Joe Lofaro and Luca Caruso-Moro.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.