Montreal police are defending their decision to launch tear gas on thousands of hockey fans outside the Bell Centre minutes after the Habs’ 3-2 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday.
It was the second time in less than two weeks that Montreal police officers used tear gas against fans outside the arena without first ordering the crowd to disperse.
“At the end of yesterday night, bottles were thrown and fireworks were set off in the area around the Bell Centre,” police spokesperson Anik de Repentigny wrote in an email Tuesday.
Police took measures to restore order a few minutes after the end of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final, she said in the email.
“The use of chemical irritants was judged necessary to disperse some recalcitrant groups.”
But Vincent Wong, a human rights lawyer and PhD student at Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, said one of the biggest problems with the use of tear gas by police is that it’s indiscriminate.
“Tear gas cannot distinguish between the young and the elderly, the healthy and sick, the abled and disabled, and, of course, the peaceful and violent,” he said in an interview Tuesday.
Children were seen suffering from the effects of the gas, while spectators leaving the Bell Centre were pepper-sprayed by police on at least one occasion.
Wong, who coauthored a 2020 report on the use of tear gas that was published by the international human rights program at the University of Toronto faculty of law, said police have a responsibility under international law to distinguish between dangerous elements of a crowd and those who are not a threat.
WATCH | Canadiens’ Josh Anderson scores Game 4 winner in OT to extend series:
Josh Anderson scored twice to lead the Canadiens to a 3-2 win over the Lightning in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final. 3:17
“If you’re just shooting tear gas canisters into the middle of a crowd, this directly violates and is at odds with this positive duty under international law,” he said.
Montreal police say their presence at gatherings allows people to celebrate while preventing disturbances that could put public safety at risk.
“With this in mind, the SPVM recommends that the public move as far away as possible if there is a disturbance in a crowd. This allows police officers to focus on the disruptive elements,” de Repentigny wrote.
Ongoing issue
Montreal police have faced criticism for their use of tear gas before.
Last December, Montreal city councillor Marvin Rotrand introduced a motion calling for tear gas to be withdrawn from the police arsenal. An amended motion passed that called for the city’s public security committee to examine the possibility of removing tear gas from the police service’s arsenal and to make recommendations about its use by officers.
“Tear gas is banned in warfare by conventions that date back to the 1920s but there’s no control of its use over civilians,” Rotrand said in an interview Tuesday.
Montreal police tend to make more use of tear gas than police in other Canadian cities, he said.
“Tear gas is the lazy man’s way to control crowds; the police have all sorts of other options,” Rotrand said. “At the very least, tear gas must only be used in exceptional circumstances — crowd control in front of a hockey arena is not one of those.”
Wong said the onus should be on police to de-escalate situations. The use of tear gas and shows of force by police can antagonize crowds, he said. “Often it creates the absolute reverse of what they’re looking for.”
Police said they arrested four people and issued 36 tickets following the Montreal Canadiens’ win in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final. A police spokesperson said the arrests were for alleged assaults or armed assaults against police officers.
Const. Jean-Pierre Brabant said officers issued 21 tickets for municipal infractions and 15 for road safety violations. Brabant said there were no injuries reported.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
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