Quebec police forces began visiting various bars in the area with an imposing display.
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Shortly before 7:30 p.m. Friday, a dozen patrol vehicles arrived at the same time in the parking lot of Quebec Brew, a company located on Wilfrid-Hamel Boulevard near Père-Lélevre.
The RCMP, the Sûreté du Québec and the SPVQ were represented on the overlooked panel. Police may also believe there is a dog handler. The officers were seen as polite, respectful and determined.
Police quickly entered the building to identify customers who had to show their credentials. A few minutes later, the convoy took off with flashing lights on its way to the next destination. Their passage was brief, but clear.
“Strong News”
At least two or three customers without ID were escorted to their cars so they could retrieve their wallets.
Earlier in the day, the Sûreté du Québec indicated it wanted to “send a strong message” to organized crime in connection with a week of violent events in eastern Quebec.
“Photo by Jean-Francois Racine / Le Journal de Quebec”
“We want to calm things down this week, especially after everything that happened in Saint-Malachi. We're going to go to bars to talk to people and make connections,” explains Hugues Beaulieu, spokesman for the Sûreté du Québec.
After three particularly bloody stories, the provincial police decided to recall its presence in several establishments in Quebec.
On Thursday evening, police also launched a bar crawl in Chaudière-Apalaches, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean and the North Shore.
