Montrealers gather to mark death of Ottawa man following violent arrest
Protest held to express concerns about police brutality following death of Abdirahman Abdi
Around 100 people gathered in downtown Montreal Thursday night to protest the death of a black man following an arrest by Ottawa police.
Abdirahman Abdi, a 37-year-old with mental health issues, died Monday, a day after police attempted to take him into custody outside his Ottawa apartment building.
Montréal Noir along with an anti-police brutality group organized the Montreal demonstration, which marched from Norman Bethune Square to a nearby police station. A minute of silence was held outside the station.
"This killing shows us there is a significant problem with violence towards black persons in this country," said Robyn Maynard, a spokesperson for Montréal Noir.
"Anti-blackness in police forces holds no borders."
with files from Neil Herland