Phone Jacques Dupuis and Tell Him To STOP Covering Up Murder

The following from the Justice For Anas Coalition, the Montreal group organizing around the police murder of Mohamed Anas Bennis a year and a half ago.

Reminder: the picket is happening tomorrow from 10am til 1pm, at 10 St Antoine East (in front of the Palais de l’Injustice).

If you can’t make it, they are asking people to phone Jacques Dupuis, Minister of “Public Security”. This guy is a fucker, the turd who refused to even release the police or coroner’s reports to the victim’s family, but people seem to think it’ll be more effective if we are “polite” when calling… so i guess that’s what we should do.

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CALL, FAX, OR EMAIL JACQUES P. DUPUIS, QUEBEC MINISTER OF PUBLIC SECURITY,
AND DEMAND JUSTICE FOR THE POLICE KILLING OF MOHAMMED ANAS BENNIS!
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On Wednesday, April 11th, the Justice For Anas Coalition and their supporters will be holding a demonstration outside the Montreal offices of Jacques P. Dupuis, the Quebec Minister of Public Security. They will be demanding that Minister Dupuis intervene to release all the evidence and reports surrounding the police killing of Mohamed Anas Bennis on December 1st, 2005, and that a public inquiry be launched into the matter.

We are encouraging you to come out to the demo between 10am-1pm at 10 St-Antoine east (metro Place d’Armes) and lend your support for one hour or more.

HOWEVER, if you can’t make it to the demo, we are asking that you take 5 minutes out of your day on Wednesday to call, fax, or email Minister Dupuis’ office to support the demands of the Justice For Anas Coalition (contact info and a model letter are included below).

Our demands are:

1. the immediate release of all reports, evidence and information concerning the death of Anas Bennis to the Bennis family and to the public;
2. full, public and independent inquiry into the death of Anas Bennis;
3. an end to police brutality and impunity.

We feel that Minister Dupuis’ duty and responsibility to meet the first 2 demands.

Some basic questions to ask on the phone:

• If Mohamed Anas Bennis really did attack officer Bernier of Station 25 with a kitchen knife as the Montreal Police say he did, why has the evidence of this knife not been shown to the Bennis family or to the public? If Bernier really did sustain injuries, why was this evidence not revealed?
• Why was the video captured of the event by the security cameras on the Bell building not released to the public?
• Why has there not been an independent and public inquiry into this incident?

(Further background info can be found at www.justicepouranas.ca)

Please cc’ all your email correspondence with Dupuis’ office to justicepouranas@gmail.com.

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You can reach Jacques P. Dupuis office in Montreal by
Phone: 514 873-3500
Fax : 514 873-6597
Email : ministre@msp.gouv.qc.ca

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On the phone, be polite and patient, but also persistent. Make sure that you get your message across in a clear and effective way.

(Model letter)

M. Jacques P. Dupuis
Ministre de la Securité publique
10, rue Saint-Antoine Est
Bureau 11.39
Montreal (Quebec)
H2Y 1E2

M. Dupuis,

I am writing to you to bring to your attention the case of Mohammed Anas Bennis. On December 1st, 2005 — more than 16 months ago — police officer Bernier from Montreal Police Station 25 shot and killed Anas Bennis, a 25-year old Canadian of Moroccan heritage. Anas was killed outside a neighborhood mosque at the corner of Côte-des-Neiges and Kent, just minutes from his home.

The police claim that Anas inexplicably attacked them with a kitchen knife. However, Anas’ family and friends find this hard to believe. They are frustrated by the attitude of the authorities who refuse to make the evidence available, including a videotape that captured the incident.

There has never been any public inquiry, but Quebec City police undertook a closed investigation. On November 4th, 2006, the crown prosecutor decided that no criminal charges would be laid against the police officers, yet he has refused to provide a written copy of his report to the Bennis family. Likewise, the police report remains secret, because you intervened to make sure it would be suppressed.

No satisfactory explanation for Anas’ death by police has been offered to the Bennis family. The mystery and secrecy surrounding this case reinforces the belief that Anas Bennis was killed by police in a case of racial and religious profiling. As the Quebec Minister of Public Security, we feel that it is your responsibility to bring to light many details surrounding Anas’ death. 16 months is far too long to wait for justice in this matter.

Finally, I am writing to you to in support the 3 demands of the Justice For Anas Coalition, which are;

1. the immediate release of all reports, evidence and information concerning the death of Anas Bennis to the Bennis family and to the public;
2. a full, public and independent inquiry into the death of Anas Bennis;
3. an end to police brutality and impunity.

As Minister of Public Security, I feel that it is your duty to take action into the first two demands.

I thank you for your attention into this matter, and I expect a swift response and prompt action to be taken to bring long-overdue justice and closure to the Bennis family.

Sincerely,

(your name, address)

cc. Justice For Anas Coalition
justicepouranas@gmail.com