School violence isn’t just a big city affair: Hundreds of firearms and knives have been confiscated from local elementary and high schools over the past five years, and the situation is dire, all the more concerning as the phenomenon accelerates.
The data from the Sûreté du Québec on armed violence in schools is alarming: since the beginning of the current school year alone, 18 “rifles or shotguns” and 13 handguns have been confiscated. During the same period, provincial police also confiscated dozens of knives, brass knuckles, poison and cayenne pepper.
These statistics also show a significant increase in such seizures from one year to the next. The number of weapons seized fell from 47 in 2019-2020 to 97 the following year and 116 two years later.
At the same time, the number of files listed by the SQ after acts of violence in schools has increased significantly over the past five years, from 955 five years ago to 1,184 last year.
Note that this data is limited to the areas served by the SQ and therefore excludes large centers with their own police force.
But this increase is not just a matter for the regions. In Laval, the number of guns confiscated from schools doubled from 7 to 14 between 2020-2021 and 2021-2022, according to data from the municipality’s police department.
During the same period, the number of violent crimes that required police intervention rose from 62 to 110. If the trend continues, that number will be exceeded this year.
It was Liberal MP Marwah Rizqy who got hold of the data through a request for information. “It’s crazy,” she breathed in the interview.
According to Ms Rizqy, these numbers are just “the tip of the iceberg” as they do not take into account the number of guns confiscated from home.
“What it also shows is that the phenomenon is all over Quebec. Violence in schools isn’t unique to Montreal,” the Liberal MP noted.
In the blind spot of Drainville
Concerned, Ms Rizqy has been asking the Culture and Education Committee for several weeks to take on an initiative mandate to hold consultations with the police, school officials and experts. She finds it difficult to understand why the Legault government refuses to comply with her request.
“I understand that you have identified your seven priorities in education, but at some point it no longer works that young people are forced to go to school with fear in their stomachs,” she says indignantly.
– Handguns / Pistols / Revolvers: 37
– Other weapon or item to strangle / poison / cayenne pepper: 77
– Pellet gun: 12
– Pickaxes / Axes / Swords / Razor Blades: 13
– Rifles or shotguns: 68
– Knives: 196
– brass knuckles: 10
(Recorded cases of violence since 2018)
– Drummondville: 125
– Shawinigan: 120
– Victoriaville: 119
– Saint Hyacinthe: 117
-Alma: 101