Montreal man seen in viral videos insulting police officer charged with libel

The man who allegedly made misogynistic and derogatory videos the Montreal police (SPVM) chief called “repugnant” has been arrested and is facing charges.

Mohamed Bekkali, 24, is charged with publishing defamatory libel against three police officers in Montreal between June 13 and 14. He appeared on the charges on July 3.

The arrest comes after videos he allegedly posted went viral showing him berating a female officer.

The young officer is carrying out a traffic stop in the video, and the driver can be heard aggressively telling her to shut up and that he’s going to buy her and own her as a slave.

The Crown prosecution’s charge sheets include three separate officers.

“The comments made to the police officer are unacceptable, misogynistic, and disrespectful,” said Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada in a statement.

“Today’s arrest and charges demonstrate that there are lines that must not be crossed. This sends a clear message that respect for our police officers is non-negotiable.”

Regarding the creation of a municipal bylaw against insulting police officers, Martinez Ferrada said her administration continues to recognize the importance of the proposed regulation and that it is essential to get it right.

“We want to work on it with the SPVM and the Police Fraternity to ensure that we put in place a regulation that is effective, enforceable, and legally sound,” she said.

Defence attorney Eric Sutton called the arrest and charge from the Crown a precedent.

“I’ve never seen this before,” said Sutton. “I’ve been practicing quite a long time. I’ve never seen this before. So, I think we are seeing a new chapter in in potential prosecutions here.”

Sutton said that Bekkali is free to vent his frustration at any police officer, but that posting the video is what opened him up to a libel charge.

“Defamatory libel includes using insulting language to someone that would make them feel insulted or exposing them to ridicule, it’s quite broad, so he crossed the line by publishing it, not by the words he used, by recording and then publishing it,” he said.

“It’s not his freedom of speech that’s impaired. It’s the fact that he decides to publish it and basically bring it into the public forum in a recorded fashion... If his intention is to simply insult or expose someone to ridicule without any real foundation, it becomes indefensible.”

Bekkali’s next court date is Sept. 24.

With files from CTV News’ Marisela Amador and Robin Della Corte