Activist Jaggi Singh Returns to Court, Demands Complex Disclosure Report

Singh Debates Calling in Mayor Régis Labeaume for Next Hearing

NewsMiriam Lafontaine — Published December 1, 2017

Last time Singh was in court was on Sept. 6, he asked for a detailed disclosure report from the Quebec City police showing all the footage police had shot that day. At the same time, he also asked to see if the police had any correspondences with La Meute and Quebec mayor Régis Labeaume.

The hearing was related to his participation in the organization of a counter-demonstration on Aug. 20 near the National Assembly. The counter-demonstration was in response to a rally organized by far-right group La Meute, who came that day to protest against the influx of immigrants.

As usual, Singh represented himself.

“I want to know about any sort of connection between far-right racist groups and the police, and the city of Quebec,” Singh said over the phone to The Link on Friday morning, while highlighting that La Meute’s head of security Jacques Gagné was previously a Quebec City police officer.

He says he’s received audio of a 911 call, some police notes, and six hours of audio from police radio—though much of its content had been redacted, with exception to the few minutes prior and during his arrest on Aug. 20.

Unsatisfied with what he’s received, he’s motioning to get more police notes, audio, and video from the day, and any correspondence between Crown Attorney Marie-Ève Guillemette and Quebec City police. He’s also interested in seeing any preparation reports from the police. Since he’s yet to receive a disclosure of correspondence between La Meute, the mayor, and the police, he’s also continuing to push for that as well, so he can better represent himself moving forward.

“But [Guillemette’s] objected from giving anything else,” he said. “That’s going to be what we’ll argue about next hearing.”

Singh found himself in court after being charged with impersonation and obstruction of justice, to which he’s pleaded not guilty.

While being detained on Aug. 20, Singh jokingly identified himself as hockey player Michel Goulet, a retired left wing from the former Quebec Nordiques hockey team. Keeping that in mind, Quebec City police later put out a warrant for his arrest, but only after the the mayor blasted Singh on TVA, he highlights.

“Then the next day the mayor was on the TV saying the ‘gang à Singh’ and stuff like that, and in court I asked, ‘Who told him that? That I was the leader of some sort of gang?’” he said, while debating the possibility that the Quebec City police had relayed that information.

Singh is now speculating whether or not he’ll try to get the mayor subpoenaed for the next hearing, scheduled for Jan. 19.

“Initially it was a joke,” he said. “I haven’t made a final decision on that, but it’s something I could do.”