Woman alleges she was tackled by a Montreal police officer for briefly not wearing a mask
A 53-year-old Montreal woman alleges she was thrown to the ground by police after lowering her mask while leaving a metro station.
“I’m still traumatized by the situation,” said Dora Quintero Sanabria, who says she was tackled while exiting Georges-Vanier station on her way home from work on Oct. 5.
She says her glasses were foggy, and she was having trouble seeing. She pulled down her mask as she was exiting, she told CTV.
She says a police officer, who was standing outside the station, confronted her, and accused her of not wearing her mask while inside.
“[The officer] made some remarks about her French, which we think is an indication of bias,” said Fo Niemi, executive director of the Centre for Research-Action on Race Relations. “The situation escalated from there."
Thinking she was free to go, she says she turned to leave.
Then, she says, the officer grabbed her phone out of her hands, threw it into a nearby bush, and tackled her to the ground.
She says the dress she was wearing rode up, exposing her underwear. Instead of helping her cover up, she says the officer cuffed her.
“Nobody did anything for me,” she told CTV News.
She says he put his boot on her still-exposed hip, pinning her to the ground while he searched through her bag for ID.
"This is extremely humiliating,” said Niemi, “for a woman to be treated like that."
Police officers patrol a metro station in Montreal, Saturday, September 19, 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues in Canada and around the world. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Police officers patrol a metro station in Montreal, Saturday, September 19, 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues in Canada and around the world. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Bystander video provided to the family (see video report above) shows police lifting Quintero Sanabria off the ground.
She says she suffered a number of injuries during the altercation, including a bruise on her right hip.
"There are ways to do it, [as opposed to] the zero-tolerance approach, plus excessive force, to the point where people have serious bodily and psychological damages,” said Niemi of the officer’s alleged conduct.
After around 25 minutes, Quintero Sanabria says she was released without a ticket, after which she filed a complaint with Montreal police.
Since then, she says, she’s been contacted by an investigator with the Surete du Quebec, though neither police department was willing to confirm to CTV whether an investigation has been opened.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
NEW 'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Canadian couple among tourists on sinking sailing boat tour abroad
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their “extremely dangerous” experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
An Ontario senior called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.
Accused of burglary at stepmother's home, U.S. senator says she wanted her father's ashes: charges
A Minnesota state senator and former broadcast meteorologist told police that she broke into her stepmother's home because her stepmother refused to give her items of sentimental value from her late father, including his ashes, according to burglary charges filed Tuesday.
Twins from Toronto were Canada's top two female finishers at this year's Boston Marathon
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.