In Montreal, Mohamed Bekkali, a 25-year-old man, found himself in legal trouble after recording a contentious interaction with a female police officer. He now faces three charges of defamatory libel for comments he directed at three Montreal police officers.
The incident, which took place on June 13 and 14, 2026, led to Bekkali’s arrest on July 2. However, he has since been released pending trial. If convicted, he could potentially face up to two years in prison under the Criminal Code of Canada.
Bekkali’s actions came under scrutiny after a video on TikTok, showing him making vulgar and misogynistic remarks towards the officer, resurfaced in March. This video sparked public outrage, prompting the Quebec National Assembly to condemn the incident and Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada to label it as “unacceptable.”
Following this controversy, SPVM Chief Fady Dagher and the Montreal police brotherhood have urged the city to consider implementing a new bylaw to prohibit insults against police officers and prevent similar incidents. Some other municipalities, such as Quebec City, Laval, Longueuil, and Sherbrooke, already allow police officers to issue fines for insulting law enforcement and other public officials.
