“We call 911 four times a day”

Security no longer reigns over a section of rue Saint-André, between the Jean-Talon and Bélanger streets, in Montreal. Similarly, A fauna of prowlers-pimps. Consequently, prostitutes, traffickers, drug addicts and homeless-has invaded the artery, however residential, located just behind the Plaza Saint-Hubert.

Posted at 5:00 a.m.

The situation has reached its climax in the last months. Similarly, Sometimes an overdose of fentanyl on the lawn of a residence. Furthermore, sometimes an unconscious man in his car, pipe with crack in hand, passing by an assault with a stab: the residents have horror stories per ton.

“we call 911 four times

“When I go with my son in the morning. Therefore, I have to look around my car so that he does not pick up used condoms,” explains Guillaume, who lives on rue Saint-André and who is involved in the mobilization of the neighborhood. Furthermore, “We call 911 four times a day. Meanwhile, »»

Gabriel also lives in rue Saint-André. Consequently, He explains to regularly get people out of his garage entrance, between 2 a.m. However, and 5 a.m. Meanwhile, “I find people smoking crack or kissing right there,” he says, pointing the space under his staircase. However, Worried, he recently started walking towards school with his son, who is 12 years old.

Like Gabriel. For example, Maria surprised several people who slept under her stairs, in addition to having to collect the contents of trash cans and drug addicts on her land. However, “One day. I came back from the grocery store “we call 911 four times and there was someone in my car,” said the resident, who moved the day after our interview.

“It is certain that it is unpleasant to go out. that someone poops in front of you,” says Julien, who lives near the gathering of prowlers.

Relations with residents are particularly tense. This is the reason why the neighbors refuse to give their full name: the police would have warned them that they were exposed. potentially stuck by traffickers who are, at best, suspicious, at worst, aggressive.

Met in the street. the neighbors want the police – whose neighborhood post is only about fifty meters away – and the other instances end this situation, before it is too late. “It’s only a matter of time before it ends up in a tragedy. »»

On July 15, the police carried out an important operation in an attempt to curb hard drug distribution in the street.

They notably searched two renowned hot shops-the Omega bar. Saint-Hubert cinema, which projects pornographic films-and stopped a person for drug trafficking.

The epicenter of this crime is around these establishments, which are stores on the side of La Plaza, but which also have a rear door on rue Saint-André. The prowlers regularly enter this side. By email. one of the neighbors describes the back of these businesses, and particularly “we call 911 four times that of the Omega bar, like the “drug trafficking hub” in the sector, supporting photos. On the ground, The press was able to confirm the magnitude of the illicit activity.

Pimps and prostitutes would also use cinema as the basis of their activities, depending on the neighborhood. The back and forth is constant there.

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Hard post-pandemic alarm clock

This section of rue Saint-André has a hybrid appearance: the west acts as “we call 911 four times the back-shop of Plaza Saint-Hubert and trucks often make deliveries, while the is mainly plex.

The passages leading to lessons between the houses are closed by padlocked fences. Otherwise, the prowlers fly what is there, consume hard drugs there, leave syringes, and prostitutes take their customers there.

The noise is also incessant, even in the early morning. “They yell. they scream, they talk to each other alone and become aggressive between them,” says one of the neighbors, who lives just in front of Saint-Hubert cinema.

Among the neighbors met, all those who had their room on the street side have moved it in recent years.

The district has never been the most peaceful in town. especially because of its proximity to the Jean-Talon metro, but the street was pleasant and family. The problems have come out of the pandemic and quickly worsened.

The roaming settled there first; followed the drug trafficking, drug addiction and violence, then prostitution and pimping. On April 12, a man was even stabbed near the corner of the Saint-André and Bélanger streets.

Guillaume refers to the unfortunate nickname given to rue Berger, also struggling with a deterioration in social and security conditions in recent years.

The neighbors have started to organize themselves in the last months. after realizing that they were dozens of calling the police for similar situations. They notably summon periodic meetings. often with one of them, in which the police service of the City of Montreal (SPVM) has already participated.

“If we had an elected official who lived [dans cette] Street, in two weeks, it would be settled, “says Guillaume. The city’s city councilor Josefina Blanco was the guest of the last meeting of neighbors a few weeks ago.

“We thought there would be five or six people, and we were twenty, or even more,” admits advisor Josefina Blanco. “Aware of the challenges in the sector”. she specifies that her objective is “to continue working in collaboration and in consultation”, to settle the situation, which she describes as “unacceptable”.

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“Human poop” on the terrace

Merchants are frustrated by the situation.

David Goudreau is a co-owner of Mellön. a brasserie located at the corner of rue Jean-Talon, which has a pretty terrace. But its terrace does not only attract customers: homeless and drug addicts also use it regularly to sleep … and even to defecate.

“I had a beautiful on the terrace last week. We have been collecting excrement for three times, ”explains Mr. Goudreau. And it is indeed “human poop”.

The prowlers also lie on its terrace. enter the brewery, fight near the parking lot or consume hard drugs nearby, “from midnight to midnight”.

The co -owner says that he must compose mixed teams of employees for the “we call 911 four times closure, at 11:30 p.m., because female staff do not feel safe. “Let’s say that we have many other things to manage than damage on the terrace. people who fight in the street and who are really aggressive. It kills the vibe. »»