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Orgo-Life the new way to the future Advertising by AdpathwayMontreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada called for calm and pledged that Montrealers would learn the truth about allegations of co-ordinated racist behaviour in a Montréal-Nord police unit.
Allegations undermine public trust, Soraya Martinez Ferrada says
Hénia Ould-Hammou · CBC News
· Posted: Jun 13, 2026 10:36 AM EDT | Last Updated: June 13
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Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada called for calm and pledged that Montrealers would learn the truth about allegations of co-ordinated racist behaviour involving a police unit based in in Montréal-Nord.
"Any form of racial profiling, discrimination, or violence is unacceptable. Such actions have no place in Montreal, in any society, or in any of our institutions," Martinez Ferrada told reporters at a press conference Saturday morning convened in response to the allegations.
Sixteen police officers from Station 39 are under investigation for racist and hateful acts allegedly committed against Black and Arab people during police stops, Montreal police confirmed late Friday.
Addressing the residents of Montréal-Nord and those who have "felt watched, targeted, profiled," and those who have filed complaints without feeling heard, she said: "I hear you."
"The bond of trust between the public and those who are there to protect us has been weakened," she added.
"I urge everyone to remain calm and act responsibly. Montrealers deserve to know the whole truth about what happened."
Martinez Ferrada said that she would ask all the necessary questions to get to the bottom of this matter.
She also acknowledged the existence of systemic racism.
"The only way to get through this is to openly acknowledge that it exists so we can implement measures to correct it," said the mayor of Montreal.
"Major societal crises also allow us to come up with new ways of doing things, to rethink the system."
When asked about the investigation, Martinez Ferrada said she trusts the process.
Police union, politicians voice shock over allegations
In a statement, the Fraternité des policiers et policières de Montréal — the province's largest municipal police union — said it had taken note of the allegations and reiterated that "any form of racism is unacceptable and contrary to its values and those of Montreal police officers."
Brotherhood president Yves Francoeur wrote that "what is alleged is totally unacceptable and shocking."
Québec Solidaire co-spokesperson Ruba Ghazal also expressed her dismay in a statement and said her party is calling for the criminal investigation to be expanded to "fully shed light on the scope and severity of the incidents."
"This is the same station that was implicated in the death of Fredy Villanueva in 2008. How is it possible that this is still happening in 2026?" asked Ghazal.
"Are these practices limited to Station 39? I call on Christine Fréchette to ensure that this investigation uproots the racist and despicable practices that have been plaguing this police station for many years."
WATCH | What the police chief, the mayor and advocates are saying about allegations: 16 Montreal police officers under investigation for alleged racist and hateful acts
Montreal police chief 'extremely surprised'
The allegations, first reported by Radio-Canada and other media, prompted an unprecedented late-night news conference Friday in which Montreal Police Chief Fady Dagher said the investigation is ongoing and that the force would not tolerate such behaviour.
"I was extremely surprised. I didn't think it was possible in 2026. This is how deeply deeply hurt I am," he said, describing these officers as "tarnishing our uniform."
According to a Radio-Canada source, some officers allegedly collected pieces of locs that had been cut from people during police interventions.
Tickets were also allegedly issued to citizens solely on the basis of their ethnic background, Radio-Canada reports.
Dagher refused to answer reporters' questions in detail while these cases are still under investigation, but confirmed such allegations have been made.
He also confirmed that two police officers are suspended, three were reassigned and the rest of the unit was "relocated" so they won't have contact with citizens for now.
He said two cases were submitted to Quebec's director of criminal and penal prosecutions, known by its French acronym DPCP, which is examining whether criminal charges should be laid.
Station 39 colleagues reported the behaviour and an internal investigation was launched just over two months ago, according to Radio-Canada.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hénia Ould-Hammou is a journalist with CBC Montreal. She previously completed an internship with La Presse after graduating from McGill University with a double major in political science and psychology. Hénia is interested in international and societal issues, community stories, soccer, politics and rap. Send her an email at henia.ould-hammou@cbc.ca
With files from CBC's Isaac Olson
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