SPVM calls for calm after protest for man who died after police intervention turned violent

CBC News

· Posted: Apr 08, 2025 5:04 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 minutes ago

Montreal constabulary are asking radical to stay calm portion continuing to explicit themselves pursuing a protestation that led to six arrests on Sunday.

People rallied successful the streets of Saint-Michel astir the household of a man, 29-year-old Abisay Cruz, who died astatine the extremity of March pursuing a constabulary intervention. 

Insp. David Shane, a spokesperson for the Service de constabulary de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM), says the objection was peaceful, but immoderate "badly intentioned" radical infiltrated it and were "aggressive," throwing objects astatine officers arsenic good arsenic rocks and fume bombs astatine Highway 40.  

"What we'd similar to bash contiguous is nonstop a connection of entreaty for calm, please," said Shane. 

"We recognize that pursuing these types of events, radical person questions, particularly the family, and it's each legitimate," helium said, adding that's wherefore Quebec's constabulary watchdog, the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI), is investigating. 

"But successful the meantime, please, we cannot fto these demonstrations spell awry," helium said. 

Altercation betwixt Cruz, police

On March 30, at astir 8 a.m., a telephone was placed to 911 reporting a idiosyncratic successful situation down a residence, according to archetypal accusation released by the BEI.

Montreal constabulary officers arrived a fewer minutes later, and an altercation occurred betwixt officers and a antheral astatine the country and officers yet restrained him. 

The BEI says the man, who was aboriginal identified arsenic Cruz, suffered a "malaise" and mislaid consciousness. He was fixed first-aid and transported to infirmary wherever helium was declared dead, according to the BEI.

Cruz's decease was the 2nd pursuing an operation by the SPVM successful little than 12 hours that weekend — and the 3rd connected the aforesaid play astatine the extremity of March. The BEI is investigating each 3 cases.

A assemblage of radical made their distrust of Montreal's constabulary corp known Sunday day arsenic they marched toward the Saint-Michel constabulary post, conscionable a fewer blocks southbound of wherever Cruz died. 

Community organizer Stéphanie Germain, who spoke astatine the march, said residents of the neighbourhood are anxious. 

"We were told things would get better, but contiguous we're afraid," Germain said. "Unfortunately, contiguous we inquire ourselves what is the relation of constabulary if not to protect."

Shane said constabulary volition "always beryllium there" to unafraid protests and guarantee they hap peacefully, but that citizens request to beryllium diligent and fto the BEI do its work. 

"Anybody who loses idiosyncratic adjacent to them volition person these questions and it's wholly mean and we recognize that. But we request to fto this process beryllium realized. We request the autarkic probe to beryllium conducted," said Shane.