I usually tell the police that they are doing something illegal and that I have photographic or video proof. I tell them to stop doing the illegal thing because I will be forced to give the evidence to their boss or make a citizen’s arrest on them. They usually stop doing the illegal thing. Anything from them parking on sidewalks to things like them deliberately using pepper spray on literal children (4 year olds) during a peaceful women’s protest a few years ago or them beating up peaceful local homeless people. The only time the police are decent is when I have to call them for friends who have loud neighbors (live music at 3am) when students/worker friends are trying to sleep and are too afraid to talk to the police, so I volunteer to do it for them. My interactions with the police are usually peaceful because I take advantage of being a white, well-dressed, well-spoken woman; they tend to be nicer to people like me. It’s easier for me to be a shield for minorities like filming them beating up homeless indigenous people, they usually stop when I start filming live (& the STM police). French police are often rude and dismissive to me when I start speaking English, but when I switch to French and they realize I am Quebecois, they are suddenly nicer to me.
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