Black community decries police racism

Members of Montreal's black community are fed up with what they call police racism, saying that after countless government inquiries and reports, little has been done to fix the problem.

Indeed, Montreal Jamaican Association president Noel Alexander said that little has changed since 1987, when Anthony Griffin was shot dead by Montreal police.

"How many people have to die before somebody do what they have to do?" he asked.

Alexander said that the recent death of another black man, Rohan Wilson, is proof that more needs to be done.

Wilson died while in Montreal police custody in February.

A Sûreté du Québec investigation into his death will be passed on to the coroner.

The Black Coalition of Quebec said that independent investigations are needed when people are injured or killed by police.

Coalition president Dan Philip said that too often police officers investigate other police officers and the results are suspect.

"A retired judge should be put in charge of the inquiry from beginning to end or some prosecutor from another district," he said.

Philip said that most black people in Montreal no longer have confidence in the police.