Passions are running high in St. Henri following a series of vandal attacks on businesses along Notre Dame that are believed to have been inspired by opposition to new stores in the neighbourhood.
One resident could barely control her anger when interviewed about the vandalism by CTV Montreal. “They need to get a neighbourhood watch to make sure and tell these men, whoever they are, that you’re not going to screw around with us,” said Jody Portigal, who is related to oft-targeted merchant Corey Shapiro. “This is our neighbourhood and this is enough. These are hard-working people. Go get a job.”
Others, however, felt that the attacks were a response to gentrification. “There’s a big divide between the people who have lived in St. Henri for a long time, who tend to be very low income and new people arriving in St. Henri who have quite a bit of money and it’s causing tensions,” said Shannon Franssen of Solidarity St. Henri, who said that residents are being forced out by higher rents. Once displaced, they then lose touch with valuable social networks.
Those who stay are feeling alienated by the new atmosphere. "There’s a growing phenomenon of feeling disconnected with the development going on along Notre Dame. Some of these new businesses are not for the neighbourhood at all,” she said.
Olivier Prud'homme Richard of the POPIR social group agreed that the arrival of shiny new businesses has caused friction. "Tensions appear in the neighbourhood because people feel that they can’t live in the neighbourhood. The rents are higher, the affordable restaurants are gone. That creates tension."
In the past five or so years, St. Henri has started going through a transformation. Trendy restaurants and businesses have opened in the area, condos are being built and rents are rising.
The changes have created a strained relationship between those who are rushing to this up-and-coming neighbourhood and those who have lived there for generations. That strain is being cited as the motivation behind a series of attacks on St. Henri businesses over the weekend.
At least eight stores along Notre Dame St. W were vandalized Saturday night by what witnesses described as a group of masked individuals wearing hoods.
The night before, entrepreneur Corey Shapiro said smoke bombs were tossed into his newly-opened juice bar and when he went out to investigate what was going on, he was hit in the face by pepper spray. Police are investigating the weekend incidents.
One theory is the people who carried out the attacks are trying to stop the gentrification of the area.
Shannon Franssen is the coordinator of Solidarite St. Henri, a community group that aims to improve the lives of the neighbourhood’s residents. She said she doesn’t condone the violence and vandalism, but says she understands why people are upset.
“Almost 40 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line, especially in this sector of St. Henri, in the west, here one child out of two lives in poverty. There are a lot of families that are low income, and with businesses that cater to the ultra-rich [opening], they really feel angry and disconnected with the development that’s going on,” she said.
Entrepreneur Jesse Bowden co-owns Campanelli Apparel, a boutique that was targeted in the attacks.
He said he’s lived in St. Henri for more than a decade, and pointed out that like him, some people who are triggering the changes some are objecting to actually do live in the area.
"I don't think anybody has ever come through and talked to us to understand what we're trying to bring,” he said.
