Criminal Defamation Charges Against Man 'Insulting' Police Officers Sends 'Clear Message,' Says Montreal Mayor
Prosecutors say he posted defamatory material targeting three officers, a charge rarely used in cases like this.
- Montreal resident Mohamed Bekkali, 25, faces three counts of criminal defamatory libel for alleged incidents on June 13 and 14, 2026, following his July 3 arrest.
- A June 2025 video resurfaced earlier this year showing Bekkali hurling insults at a female officer during a traffic stop, an incident for which he received a $186 fine.
- SPVM Chief Fady Dagher and the Montreal Police Brotherhood urged the city to adopt a bylaw banning verbal abuse against officers, a debate that reached the Quebec National Assembly.
- On Monday, Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada stated the arrest demonstrates "some limits can't be breached," adding her administration wants regulations that are "effective, enforceable, and legally sound."
- Law professor Ugo Gilbert-Tremblay noted that proving intent to defame is difficult, while legal experts have questioned whether a bylaw prohibiting insults against police would survive a constitutional test.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Man who filmed himself insulting SPVM officer facing criminal defamation charges
The young man who filmed himself hurling misogynistic insults at a Montreal police officer during a traffic stop is now facing criminal defamation charges for alleged incidents involving other officers.
Mohamed Bekkali was recorded as he was launching misogynous insults.
The 24-year-old must answer three counts of defamation. He had insulted a policeman in an online video.
Criminal defamation charges against man 'insulting' police officers sends 'clear message,' says Montreal mayor
A Montreal man who filmed his interaction with a female police officer was arrested and charged with defamation. Mohamed Bekkali, 25, faces three counts of defamatory libel charges for comments he made against three officers from the Montreal police department (SPVM). Crown prosecutors say the alleged incidents occurred on June 13 and 14, 2026. He […]
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