Racially motivated hate crimes up by 53 per cent in Montreal last year: report
Residents in Montreal may have heard anecdotally of more hate crimes happening last year, but now they have the numbers to back it up.
Montreal police released their annual report Wednesday, which revealed that racially motivated hate crimes in 2020 increased by 52.9 per cent compared to the year before.
In 2019, there were 87 race-related hate crimes, but that number jumped to 133 last year, according to the report. What police classify as “hate incidents” also rose to 60 in 2020, double the number from the previous year.
But if you ask advocates on race issues, they’re not surprised by the numbers.
"We were expecting that," said Fo Niemi, executive director of the Montreal-based non-profit civil rights organization, Center for Research-Action on Race Relations (CRARR).
"Since February 2020, there have been rising reports of hate crimes and hate incidents directed at people of Asian or Chinese-looking backgrounds, not only here in Montreal. In Toronto, and particularly in Vancouver. So it’s like a North American trend."
Montreal police data show that hate crimes relating to religion or gender decreased last year, as did those relating to sexual orientation. It’s crimes relating to race or ethnic origin that saw a huge increase.
For Niemi, the numbers are "an important measurement of hate" in the city and attributes hate faced by people of Asian origin to the anti-Asian rhetoric stemming from the coronavirus pandemic.
"We believe the association of the coronavirus where China plays a major part of that, especially when it was promoted by the president of the United States," he said.
'ASIAN COMMUNITIES ARE THE SCAPEGOAT ... OF THE PANDEMIC'
The number of racially motivated incidents could actually be much higher in reality, according to Dr. Winston Chan, entrepreneur and Montreal-based board member of the newly formed National Coalition of Canadians Against Anti-Asian Racism (NCCAAR). The organization is a grassroots initiative created by Asian Canadians to combat anti-Asian racism amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chan said the numbers in the annual report are "not surprising" and believes they are "just the tip of the iceberg" since hate crime in Asian communities is underreported due to language barriers and lack of trust with police.
Though what was reported last year, he said, can largely be attributed to the anti-Asian sentiment from the public health crisis.
"I think the Asian communities are the scapegoat right now of the pandemic," Chan said.
"I think with the pandemic that racism has been transformed into physical and verbal assault in public space on the streets, or the grocery stores, in the subway. So, we see a lot of hatred, transformed into hate crimes."
He said police should commit to taking reports of hate crimes more seriously, as well as offer better training and hire more officers for the hate crime unit.
Cathy Wong, who’s in charge of anti-racism efforts for the City of Montreal, said while the numbers are troubling, at least they show racialized communities are not afraid to come forward.
"It means that Montrealers are denouncing much more and are using the mechanisms and bodies that are in place to fight against hate incidents and crimes in Montreal," Wong said.
OVERALL CRIME DOWN 11 PER CENT, REPORT SAYS
The report also offers a glimpse into an exceptional year for Montreal police, who were suddenly tasked with policing people’s movements in the context of the global pandemic. At the start of the pandemic, close to one third of all 911 calls were related to COVID-19, according to the report.
Officers handed out a total of 4,438 general offence reports or statements under the Public Health Act between March 12 and Dec. 31.
Overall, crime was down in Montreal by 11.2 per cent, with decreases in robberies (down 16.9 per cent), sexual assault (down 8.2 per cent), and assaults (down 2.3 per cent). Homicides remained the same with 25 killings recorded in each of the last two years.
Crimes that saw increases were vehicle thefts (up 10.8 per cent), attempted murders (up 7.4 per cent), and arson (up 4.3 per cent).
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
Prince William and wife Kate thank public for birthday messages for son Louis
Prince William and his wife Kate thanked the public for their messages which had been sent to mark the sixth birthday of their youngest son Louis on Tuesday.
She was the closest she'd ever been to meeting her biological father. Then life dealt her a blow
Anne Marie Cavner was the closest she'd ever been to meeting her biological father, but then life dealt her a blow. From an unexpected loss to a host of new relationships, a DNA test changed her life, and she doesn't regret a thing.
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
'Catch-and-kill' strategy to be a focus as testimony resumes in Trump hush money case
A veteran tabloid publisher was expected to return to the witness stand Tuesday in Donald Trump's historic hush money trial.
Quebec farmers have been protesting since December. Is anyone listening?
Upset about high interest rates, growing paperwork and heavy regulatory burdens, protesting farmers have become a familiar sight across Quebec since December.
South Korean sentenced to 14 months in jail for killing 76 cats
South Korean man has been sentenced to 14 months in prison for killing 76 cats in one of the country's most gruesome cases of animal cruelty in recent years.