Anti-capitalist activists calling themselves The Robin of the alleys (Robins) have claimed responsibility for more thefts carried out at grocery stores in Montreal and the Quebec City region on Thursday evening.
In a statement released on Friday morning, the activists say they carried out “political thefts” simultaneously in several grocery stores in Montreal and the Capitale-Nationale region.
They claim to have acted in the context of May 1, International Workers’ Day.
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The Montreal police (SPVM) confirmed that a robbery took place late on Thursday evening at a Maxi grocery store in the Rosemont neighbourhood. The Quebec City police (SPVQ) has not been informed of any such incidents.
SPVM spokesperson Jean-Pierre Brabant reported that masked individuals had turned up at the supermarket and had sprayed graffiti on the shop front before spraying paint on the security cameras.
The suspects then reportedly stole “various items” before leaving the scene as a group. For the time being, the police believe the value of the stolen goods to be less than $5,000.
‘The events unfolded peacefully and there were no injuries or altercations,’ said Brabant.
No suspects have been arrested as yet. “But a report has been filed and submitted to the investigators, who will be carrying out checks,” the spokesperson said. “There will certainly be CCTV footage that will need to be reviewed over the coming hours and days.”
This is not the first action by the Robins. The group claimed responsibility for thefts last December and February.
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“This May Day, what is there to celebrate ? More and more of us are struggling to make ends meet; we find ourselves working longer and longer hours, yet we still can’t afford a place to live or put food on the table without stressing out at the end of the month,” said a spokesperson for the group, Frédéric Laflèche, in the statement.
“Why? The same reason as always: because the big landlords are getting rich off our backs, by stealing our livelihoods and exploiting our labour.”
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
