Vol. 73/No. 33      August 31, 2009

“Today we march for justice and truth. And we are going to continue until charges are laid against the police officer who shot my brother,” said Wendy Villanueva. The cop killed Fredy Villanueva, 18, while he was coming to the aid of his brother Danny who was being harassed by the police. The Villanueva family moved to Canada from Honduras in 1998.

The day after cops killed Villanueva the police riot squad attacked a peaceful protest against the killing. The cops involved have not been charged. Initially the government refused to pay the costs for lawyers at the coroner’s inquest for two others who were wounded during the police shooting. After Villanueva’s family refused to cooperate with the inquest, the government relented and the inquest will start in the fall.

The march was very youthful and many from the community participated chanting, “Police, murderers!” and “Jail the police.” There were signs commemorating many of those killed by the police over the last few years. Speaking at the rally were the fathers of Mohamed Anas Bennis and Quilem Registre, two others the police have killed. Many people watching from their apartments encouraged the marchers.

The capitalist media violence-baited the march in the days leading up to it. One article in 24 heures was entitled, “Montreal North: People Fear the Aug. 9 March.” At the beginning of the march police on bicycles provocatively blocked the way before allowing the protesters to proceed.

At the end of the demonstration, Fredy’s mother Lilian Villanueva said, “Immigrants must not die because they are immigrants.” The march was organized by Montréal-Nord Républik and the Coalition against Repression and Police Abuse. In their leaflet distributed during the march, the coalition called for a public inquiry.

Beverly Bernardo, the Communist League candidate for the borough of Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc-Extension, participated with her supporters. The CL campaign platform calls for charging the police who killed Villanueva. TVA television interviewed Bernardo during the march.  
 
 
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