May 20, 2025
By Sayaspora
You know that strange, heavy feeling when someone asks for your papers for no apparent reason? When you look around and realize that no one else is being checked? When your heart beats a little faster, not because you’ve done anything wrong, but because you know exactly why it happened to you?
We know that feeling all too well. That’s often what racial profiling is. And if you’ve ever wondered if it’s all in your head… know that it’s not. You’re not crazy. You’re not alone. And you’re not exaggerating. This type of discrimination, as insidious as it is violent, is a reality experienced by many of us.
And if you’re wondering if this kind of thing “really happens,” let’s talk about Mamadi Camara. In January 2021, this Black doctoral student was wrongfully arrested in Montreal for allegedly assaulting a police officer. He spent six days in detention, despite being completely innocent. During that time, his reputation was tarnished, his loved ones worried, and his life turned upside down.
What was he accused of? Being there. Being Black. Being “in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
This case shocked Quebec, but it is far from isolated. It simply received too much media attention to be ignored. And it reminds us how racial profiling is not an abstract concept.
This case shocked Quebec, but it is far from isolated. It simply received too much media attention to be ignored. And it reminds us that racial profiling is not an abstract concept. It’s a very real, sometimes tragic, form of violence.
But what should you do if it happens to you? We’re not going to lie to you: there’s no magic bullet. You shouldn’t have to bear the burden of an unjust system. But you can protect yourself, in your own way. Stay calm, ask for the reason for the stop, note the details (time, place, badge number), and if possible, discreetly film.
And above all, you can turn to solid resources designed to support you as a woman of color, a migrant woman, a North African woman, a Black woman. data-ccp-props=”{“134233117″:false,”134233118″:false,”335559738″:240,”335559739″:240}”>
- Montreal Women’s Center – Women’s service from Cultural communities
Legal support, psychosocial support, empowerment workshops.
👉 centredesfemmesdemtl.org
- La Marie Debout Women’s Centre (Montreal North)
A place for listening, sharing, and action for women, particularly North African and Muslim women.
👉 lamariedebout.org
- Home from Haiti
Services for immigrant and Afro-descendant women, including support in dealing with discrimination.
👉 maisondhaiti.org
- League of Rights and freedoms
Defends human rights and offers support in cases of police abuse.
👉 liguedesdroits.ca
- CRARR (Action Research Center on race relations)
Legal support specialized in racial profiling and racial discrimination.
👉 crarr.org
- Ligue des Noires du Quebec
Advocates for the rights of Black women, offers legal and community resources.
👉 liguedesnoires.org
- You can file a formal complaint there if you have experienced discrimination.
👉 cdpdj.qc.ca
Because it’s not a “minor injustice.” And you have resources available. You are not alone. You have the right to demand justice, to be heard, to be protected.
Being informed is already a form of resistance. The more we know our rights, the stronger we are. And the more we share this information, the more we create chains of support. We shouldn’t have to prepare for these kinds of situations. But while we wait for things to change, we can support each other, organize, and arm ourselves with knowledge. Refusing to remain silent is already a form of courage. And writing, speaking, documenting—that’s political.
So the next time you feel this injustice, remember: you are not at fault. It’s the system that is. And even if change is slow, it often begins with a voice. Speaking out. A shared conversation. We want public spaces that respect us. Institutions that protect us, not target us. And we won’t give up until that’s the norm.
