Police will investigate racist abuse against LaSalle’s partner as a hate incident

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Montreal police say they are investigating a case of racist abuse as a hate incident after video of the encounter was shared on social media.

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LaSalle residents Nadisha Hosein and her husband, Pramit Patel, were reprimanded last week by an angry Francophone man who told them to go home to India or Pakistan after they spoke to him in English during a confrontation.

The incident began last week when Hosein stopped backing his car to let the man pass.

An argument ensued and the man yelled at the couple, saying they had to learn French because they lived in Quebec.

The couple say they are bilingual and that Patel graduated from a French high school. Both were born in Montreal and are of Indian descent.

After Hosein complained to the police, the officers said there was nothing they could do because the man had made no threats against them, which could be considered a hate crime.

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However, in an email to the Montreal Gazette on Tuesday, a Montreal police spokesman said the case had been transferred to a special unit. that investigates hate crimes and hate incidents.

Since it was formed in 2016, officers with the unit have regularly met with members of minority groups in Montreal to brief them on what constitutes a hate crime or hate incident, police spokeswoman Caroline Labelle said.

A brochure explaining the terms. has been published in several languages ​​and is available at police website.

Examples of hate crimes include attacking someone because of the color of their skin; threatening someone for their religious beliefs and vandalizing a house or place of worship with anti-religious graffiti. Hate crimes are criminal offenses.

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Hate incidents could be the distribution of offensive material directed at an ethnic group; insult someone because of their sexual orientation or take offensive action against someone because of their religion.

Anyone who is the victim of a hate crime or hate incident should report it to police, Labelle said.

Hate crimes can be reported by calling 911 if you need help, or by filing a report with your local police station.

Hate incidents can be reported by filling out a form on the police department’s website or by visiting a police station.

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