Achi news desk-
A Quebec court judge ruled that police officers who searched a suspect wearing a “man bag” slung over his shoulder and found a loaded weapon were not engaged in profiling.
Marcus Nimery was arrested by Montreal police officers in October 2023. He was carrying an illegally modified gun in his shoulder bag.
At the trial, his lawyer argued that the search was illegal and that his client fell victim to profiling because he was wearing a ‘men’s bag’ – a popular item among black and Arab communities, according to him.
The police claimed at trial that most of the weapons they seized were in these shoulder bags.
In an April 18 decision, Quebec Court Judge Denis Galiastos concluded that there was no evidence that the cases were particularly popular among certain racialized communities.
He found Nimri guilty on all three counts: possession of a loaded prohibited handgun, carrying a concealed weapon and obstructing peace officers in the performance of their duties.
– This report by The Canadian Press was first published on April 24, 2024.
