Montreal city councillor says he no longer feels safe after home vandalized

Outspoken critic of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Montreal city councillor Serge Sasseville's home was vandalized on Monday night, which he said made him fearful of living downtown for the first time.

"I don't know why he did it, but it was kind of scary," said Sasseville. "And I'm not a person that is scared easily."

Surveillance camera footage shows a man with a shaved head and beard picking hydrangeas in front of Sasseville's residence for over two hours on Musee Avenue and walking away. Sasseville woke up to find a trail of flowers leading to his neighbours' houses and towards Doctor Penfield Avenue.

A sign on Sasseville's property reading "Pray for Ukraine" and "No War" was also moved and placed on a neighbour's property rental sign, and inscriptions were written in chalk in the area.

"I got chills down my spine," said Sasseville. "This was almost satanic."

Sasseville plans to press charges if the suspect is identified. He has been in contact with Montreal police (SPVM).

The Independent Ville-Marie city councillor, who represents the Peter-McGill district, stands outside of the Russian Consulate across the street from his house in Montreal and plays the Ukrainian national anthem almost every day.

"I've been banished from Russia by Vladimir Putin, I'm not afraid of him, but I was trembling this morning because I was afraid for the first time in my life," said Sasseville. "I lost my sense of security at my house, and it's really a big problem now in downtown Montreal. The authorities have lost complete control of all over what is going on downtown. It's dirty, it's violent. There are roadblocks everywhere. It's a nightmare. Something has to be done."

Montreal city councillor Serge Sasseville has begun blaring the sounds of war along with the Ukrainian national anthem outside the Russian consulate. (Daniel J. Rowe/CTV News)

City councillor Alain Vaillancourt is the executive committee member responsible for public security and responded to the vandalism.

"It's clearly worrying to see an elected official targetted by acts of vandalsim," Vaillancourt said. "It's a deplorable situation."

The Southwest borough councillor said the city has contacted Sasseville and is confident that the SPVM will "get to the bottom of it."

Independent city councillor Serge Sasseville's garden was vandalized and a trail of hydrangeas led from his house to a nearby street. He no longer feels safe in his neighbourhood. (Serge Sasseville)

Sasseville said he did not recognize the man in the surveillance footage.

He said he is concerned that if someone was willing to vandalize his relatively remote home on the top of Musee Avenue, he's very worried for those who live in more busy areas of the city.

"We have to gain back a secure downtown area," he said. "I've never seen my city like that. I don't recognize Montreal anymore."

Sasseville is calling on the city to put more resources and energy into securing and cleaning downtown.

"I was walking on Sherbrooke, and because of the road work everywhere, there was a big traffic jam, and there was this big bus of tourists, you know, like the London buses," he said. "It was smelly yesterday, and I saw one tourist pinching his nose, and I was ashamed. I was ashamed of downtown Montreal. I was ashamed as a Montrealer. I was ashamed as a city councilor. It cannot go on like that. We passed the limit of what is acceptable and action is needed right now."