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
BREAKING Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests about relationship with Prince Harry
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
Trial begins for Winnipeg serial killer who claims he was mentally ill
The trial of a man who admits he killed four women in Winnipeg is set to begin Wednesday, and a law professor says lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have multiple hurdles to clear for a defence of mental illness.
These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
New Canadian study could be a lifesaver for thousands suffering from CTE
A first-of-its-kind Canadian research study is working towards a major medical breakthrough for a brain disorder, believed to be caused by repeated head injuries, that can only be detected after death.