The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is investigating allegations of two so-called “police stations” in Quebec suspected to be run by Chinese government officials.
The RCMP confirmed by email Thursday morning an open investigation by the province’s integrated national security surveillance team into the two alleged outposts: one in Montreal and another in Brossarda suburb on the city’s south shore.
The police force added that it is possible Chinese Canadians “have been victims of possible activities conducted by these centers” and that any form of “threats, harassment and harm to diaspora communities or individuals in Canada will not be tolerated.”
“We are conducting police operations aimed at detecting and disrupting these foreign state-sponsored criminal activities, which may threaten the safety of people living in Canada,” the RCMP said in a statement.
RCMP said they could not comment on the alleged police stations, citing the ongoing investigation. The investigation was first reported on Thursday by the Journal de Montréal.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau briefly addressed the allegations in a scrum early Thursday, saying “we’re making sure the RCMP is following up on this and our intelligence systems are taking this seriously.”
“This is a matter of enormous concern to us,” he added.
In December 2022, a Spanish civil rights group disclosed in a report that there was Chinese police operations around the world, including three in Toronto and at least one in Vancouver.
Safeguard Defenders said there were more than 100 such stations in more than 50 countries. It is claimed that the stations serve to “persuade” people who Chinese authorities claim are refugees living abroad to return to China to face prosecution.
— with files from Global News Amy Judd, Christa Dao and The Canadian Press
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