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Montreal adopts bylaw banning insults against police, municipal employees

80 points · 84 comments · MC995

  1. beloch · · focus · HN ↗
    "Giving the middle finger, it's not what will give you a ticket," Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada said before the council meeting."

    ...

    "It also includes provisions saying city employees could refuse to provide services to someone who misbehaves. However, the bylaw doesn't define what could be construed as an insult."

    ----------------

    1. If what constitutes an "insult" is left undefined and up to discretion, then this law will be used as an tool for police to fine and harass anyone they don't like at a given moment. It will be abused.

    2. This law also bans things, such as threats, that are already covered by the law. If you threaten police, they already have the tools to arrest and charge you. This should not have been included in a law that covers insults and is likely only there to provide camouflage.

    I sincerely doubt this law will stand up to its first test in court.

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