A hundred people gathered outside the Quebec courthouse at noon today to protest Judge Matthieu Poliquin’s verdict in acquitting a sex offender.
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Photo Nicolas Saillant
A hundred people gathered outside the Quebec courthouse.
“Our anger is great,” said Audrée Houle of the Center femmes d’hui, who spoke to a hundred protesters outside the Quebec courthouse this afternoon.
They are against the verdict of Poliquin, a judge from Trois-Rivières, who offered conditional release to sex offender Simon Houle because of his young age and his work as an engineer.
- Listen to Marc-André Leclerc’s interview with Me Marie-Pier Boulet, President of the Association of Defense Lawyers, on Radio QUB:
At the microphone, Audrée Houle said that “this verdict constitutes violence against women”.
“The flaws in the system are great and all too often it is women who suffer the consequences,” she added.
specialized court
The head of the aid organization Viol was also on hand to denounce a “regressive decision” that “disempowers the attackers”. “Our judges are expected to live in today’s reality,” she adds.
Those present said they were glad that the DPCP had appealed Simon Houle’s verdict. The women also have high hopes for the establishment of the specialized court for sexual assaults and the further training of the judges.
Men were present at the flash action that afternoon, but chose to keep a low profile on comment. “I prefer to let women have their say,” said one of them.
Slogans attacking the judge were also sung, such as “Poliquin, judge nothing” or “Poliquin, alcohol explains nothing”.
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