Group sees fivefold increase in reports of potential hate crimes in Quebec since 2015

A Montreal-based group that works to prevent radicalization leading to violence has seen a substantial increase in reports of potential hate crimes and radicalization over the last two years.

These reports, which come in by phone or in person to the Centre for the Prevention of Radicalization Leading to Violence (CPRLV), may, for example, be a request for help in dealing with a radicalized friend or family member.

Others are reaching out to the organization to flag radicalized individuals or hate incidents. 

The CPRLV received 80 reports of potential hate incidents and crimes in 2017, compared to 41 in 2016 and only four in 2015, a more than fivefold increase over the two-year period, the group said in its annual report, released last week.

In 2015, the organization received a total of 186 reports, and that number jumped to 349 last year.

That total increase didn't come as a surprise to the group's director.

"People often want to be reassured. Quebecers do not take any risks. When they have a doubt, they call."

Deparice-Okomba attributes the increase to the January 2017 mosque shooting in Quebec City, which left six men dead and raised fears among the city's Muslim community of far-right extremism and violence.

"After the mosque shooting, we received many more phone calls," he said.

Extreme-right radicalization tops reports to centre

According to the report, the most substantial increase in calls last year was in relation to extreme-right radicalization; the group received 74 such reports in 2017, compared to 11 in 2016 and 13 in 2015. 

There were 126 political-religious, radicalization reports filed in 2017 in general, hovering around the same as in 2015, when the group received 132.

The organization says it received nine calls in 2017 related to radicalization on the extreme-left, compared to none in 2015. Seventy per cent of these reports were related to Islamist radicalization, said Deparice-Okomba.

Some reports go to the police

In 2015, eight cases were transferred to police, while 24 cases were transferred last year.

For example, if a parent calls to say his or her child plans to travel abroad to join a militant group, the CPRLV will notify police.

When other reports are made that don't go to police, an employee at the centre will validate the information they receive, a committee is formed, and that committee then contacts the person suspected of radicalization.

The organization provides support and psychosocial counselling to individuals who are believed to be radicalized, or in the process of becoming radicalized, as well as their friends and families.

It also works with the victims of hate speech or hate incidents, and it promotes the reintegration of radicalized individuals back into society.

Most reports related to men, adults between ages 26 and 64 

According to the group's report, 53 per cent of the radicalization reports made that year pertained to adults between the ages of 26 and 64.

Four calls were made in relation to kids under age 12, and reports also came in about 13 teenagers, as well as 21 young adults, aged 18 to 25.

Men accounted for nearly three-quarters of all the people who were reported to the centre.

"The man will go on a specific quest for identity, in an attitude of alpha male, warrior," he said. "The woman, who intends to go to Syria, for example, will be attracted by the humanitarian side."