Montreal Senior Alleges Excessive Force by Police Over Off-Leash Dog

An elderly Montrealer is alleging he was the victim of excessive force at the hands of local police while he was out for what he called a routine walk with his dog, Cookie, in the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough last Friday. The fight started as an argument over the fact that the dog was off-leash and escalated to the point where many in the community are questioning the reaction of Montreal police.

Louis Rousseau, 78, is a familiar figure in his neighborhood, usually seen singing and taking his dog for a walk down the Plateau streets. But last Friday, the tranquil scene of man and dog was disrupted by an encounter with a police officer Rousseau describes as becoming unnecessarily hostile.

As described by Rousseau, the altercation started while he was walking across the road with Cookie, who was loose. “She came over to me and said, ‘Don’t move, put your dog on a leash,'” Rousseau explained. He confessed he didn’t obey, informing the officer he wasn’t going to do that and kept walking away.

The exchange turned quickly physical. “So I did let go of my stick and then walk away,” Rousseau explained. “And then she ran after me with her pepper spray.”

The episode was not ignored. A video uploaded to social media records portions of the encounter between Rousseau and the officer, and has since triggered public attention and alarm. In the video, a clearly upset Rousseau is observed to be in contact with police while witnesses observe. While not all the video is decisive, it has triggered new arguments regarding police behavior, particularly towards vulnerable groups.

 

Goldie Marcoe, a bystander, characterized the encounter as “a blatant display of violence.”

“He wasn’t threatening,” Marcoe said to reporters. “He’s an old man with a walking stick and a little dog. I was amazed at how fast it became aggressive.”

This incident is not Rousseau’s first run-in with the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM). In 2022, he was also stopped for not having Cookie on a leash. His lawyer says he’s had several prior legal entanglements related to similar issues. While some of those cases are ongoing—he has been charged with resisting arrest—his lawyer noted he was acquitted in at least one case that involved a violent confrontation with police.

In spite of his history, Rousseau and his lawyers think that this recent act was an overreaction. “Regardless of his past, the reaction here was utterly out of line,” his attorney commented. “You don’t pepper spray an elderly person for not putting a dog on a leash.”

In the recent altercation, Rousseau has been charged with weapons assault, though little information is available regarding what weapon is believed to have been involved. Rousseau is slated to appear before the court on July 4, and according to his lawyer, they will strenuously object to the charge.

The use of the word “weapon” here has left people puzzled, particularly given that Rousseau is known to only have been carrying his cane and his dog with him. “If they’re labeling his cane a weapon, that’s really concerning,” Marcoe said. “He uses it to walk.”

CTV News reached out to the Montreal police about the incident. Although the SPVM refused to comment on the case, a spokesperson said that anyone who believes they have been treated unjustly by police can make a formal complaint. Complaints can be made directly to the SPVM or to the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI), an independent Quebec oversight agency that investigates police incidents.

At the moment, it is not known if Rousseau or his attorneys have made such a complaint, although residents are calling for action.

The social media clip, which has gone viral on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, has prompted an outpouring of support for Rousseau. Numerous individuals online have expressed outrage, calling for accountability and improved training for officers when interacting with seniors or individuals with apparent disabilities.

Community activist organizations have already opened their mouths. Organizer and activist Marianne Pelletier said incidents like the one that transpired “undermine public trust in law enforcement.”

“This isn’t about a leash law—it’s about how police choose to engage with residents,” Pelletier said. “When a 78-year-old man gets pepper-sprayed over a bylaw, we have to ask ourselves: is this how we want our community policed?”

Others concurred with that view, urging city authorities to examine police procedure for dealing with minor offenses, particularly those against vulnerable groups like the elderly and people with disabilities.

“There has to be a difference between enforcing the law and escalating a confrontation,” said Pelletier. “Our officers require more training in de-escalation and empathy.”

A July 4 court date has been set for Rousseau and his attorneys, who are preparing to contest what they call an unwarranted accusation. The community is following the case.

“This isn’t about Louis Rousseau alone,” Marcoe said. “It’s about how quickly something as innocent as walking a dog can become a traumatic experience—and what that says about policing in our city.”

As the court case progresses, the situation remains contentious in Montreal. Regardless of the verdict on Rousseau’s guilt for assault, the greater question might persist: When does the police overstep their authority?

 

News Source @CTVNews