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Today, Rebel News' Alexa Lavoie presents a short video in response to an article written by Marie-Ève Doyon and published in Le Journal de Montréal.

A citizen-led action took place last Sunday at the public swimming pool in Jarry Park, Montreal, following numerous complaints and testimonies from women who were victims of inappropriate behavior and voyeurism.

This isn't a new problem, but one that seems to have escalated in recent times.

Following Rebel News' coverage on-site, Rebel News' Guillaume Roy reshared a photo that originally came from a Reddit thread, pointing out that some unsavoury individuals had returned to Jarry Park. His post read:

JARRY PARK – Despite a citizen movement today and massive attention on social media, the 'creeps' continue their voyeurism with impunity. Some cultures are simply not compatible.

The wording came directly from the Reddit thread.

And yes, some cultures are not compatible with others, especially when integration is lacking. We need to stop burying our heads in the sand. The immigration levels of the past few years are simply unsustainable, and the lack of integration brings with it cultural problems—such as voyeurism—which are well documented in places like South Asia.

Many people who have immigrated to Canada fled their countries because of these very cultural issues. They are sounding the alarm, but here in Canada, mainstream media refuses to address the root of the problem. And anyone who dares to speak out is instantly branded racist, xenophobic, extremist, or far-right. This is where we're at.

Now, let's talk about the article itself. Here is our take on the piece published by Mme. Doyon.

In her article, she used Guillaume's post without ever contacting him for a comment or providing him his right of reply, nor did she reach out to Alexa. She not only quoted his post but also used it as an opportunity to spread false information about Rebel News.

She claimed that we are anti-Muslim, which is absolutely false. What we are is critical of radical Islam—and that is a crucial difference. In fact, we have Muslim team members within our newsroom.

She also accused us of trying to manufacture an identity-based scandal from an isolated event. But what she clearly doesn't understand is that this is not an isolated incident. These types of situations are happening in other provinces, and in other public spaces, not just swimming pools. We are not trying to stir up scandal—we are reporting the truth and calling things what they are.

She then accused us of making an intellectual shortcut that might fuel many intolerant people who are just looking for excuses to hate anything that isn't white enough. But what does skin color have to do with the word 'culture'?

She concluded by saying that "these insinuations must be condemned as much as the behaviors they claim to expose."

But what insinuations is she referring to, exactly? The idea that some cultural practices can clash with Canadian values when integration fails?

We decided to write to Mme. Doyon to offer her the right of reply that she denied us. We asked for evidence and sources to back up the accusations she made about our media outlet, and whether she was aware of the numerous citizen complaints about inappropriate behavior at Jarry Park.

Here's what she replied:

I do not wish to comment on your report, as my numerous interactions on X and other platforms have already made my position clear. I denounced the posting of a photo by a user associated with Rebel News, which aimed solely to promote vigilantism and to suggest that certain individuals were guilty of misconduct without any due process.

Isn't it hilarious to said that when she just accused us to be anti-Muslim and Identitarian right?

Let's set the record straight:

• The photo came from Reddit, posted by someone present at the pool.
• The individuals in the photo are not identifiable.
• We never accused anyone of anything specific. The image was simply used to highlight the ongoing concern discussed online, as part of our journalistic coverage.

When Mme. Doyon refers to her "interaction" on X, is she talking about when she said:

• "People can't look at a pool anymore?"
• "You don't know if they know someone in the pool."
• "You say they're imposing their values, but you want to dictate where they look?"
• "You're making assumptions about what people are thinking in parks…"

These kinds of statements downplay the lived experiences of women who have come forward.

Why not do a report on the victims, instead of demonizing the only media outlet that dares to talk about the real issue—voyeurism and inappropriate behavior in public spaces?

Mme. Doyon refused to provide any evidence to back her claims against Rebel News. Sadly, that doesn't surprise us. 

With that, don't forget to check out our full report on voyeurism at the public pool in Jarry Park, available now on our platform: