Christmas Tobacco Arrests

Date: 12/25/2024

I am a white police officer forced by government agents to order the arrest of eight Indigenous men for possession of tobacco in a church where they are sleeping to be out of the cold. It is Christmas Eve, Montreal. I explain to my superiors that their possession of tobacco is for religious purposes but the government insists. They want to set an example. Even the officers under me are uncomfortable with the order and push back, but I explain that we have no choice. They make the arrests and bring the eight men into the station. The tobacco is wrapped tight in leather packages, like pencil cases or fat cigars. The men are Indian, like from India, also wrapped tight like bigger versions of the tobacco, and remaining sideways in their cell. They do not resist but speak of their religious rights in calm voices. We bring them to the judge, two by two, and the judge releases them because tobacco is their religious right. I go with the last two and listen to their soft arguments. Now our prison cell is empty so we can clean up and go home for Christmas.