“Important to show a clear stand against”

Photo Agence QMI, Philippe-Olivier Contant
Maxence Valade, student

Jean-François Racine

Friday, 30 march 2018, 00:00

UPDATE
Friday, 30 march 2018, 00:00

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A student who lost an eye during a riot at Victoriaville in may 2012 encourages citizens to go protest at the G7 Summit in June next.

May 4, 2012, Maxence Valade lost his left eye in addition to suffering a head injury after receiving a plastic bullet. Despite significant damage for which it seeks the Sûreté du Québec for a sum of $ 255,000 was, the young man, aged 26-year-old has lost none of its convictions.

“I encourage. Without a shadow of a doubt. I will not be in Quebec this summer, but if I had been present, I would definitely be gone. As soon as one takes seriously what is happening around us, it is important to go to show opposition in a free and clear during these big gatherings, ” says Maxence Valade.

Shot in the eye

At the time, Mr. Valade was a student in human sciences at the Cégep de Saint-Laurent. He had taken the bus with others to go protest at the Congress of the Quebec liberal Party in Victoriaville.

Shot in the eye, Maxence Valade had to undergo an operation, and then a reconstruction of a frontal bone. Six years later, the latter denounces the plastic balls used in crowd control. These weapons are still permitted in Canada and the police will be equipped in the G7.

Strong presence

According to him, the police officers to defend themselves, are required to use a force that is comparable to the one that works for them.

“There is a systematic repression with weapons potentially lethal. Do not go to manifest, it is also give them a reason. These weapons are intended to punish, to hurt, to éborgner, but also to be afraid of everything. It is important to show a strong presence. “

Weapons ” less dangerous “, a different kind of training for the forces of law and order, and de-escalation techniques could improve the situation instead of shooting practice, according to Mr. Valade.

Will we see violence in the streets of Quebec ? “I will not respond to it. The people who will be present have a tantrum in front of a global situation, which is a bit like a masquerade. As is the case every time, the events will certainly be repressed with excessive force. Disarm the police would be a good starting point. “

► Maxence Valade is a member of the collective Manifest without fear, a group that wants to ban the plastic balls and explosive weapons.