Montreal police have launched an investigation into 16 officers who are accused of carrying out 'co-ordinated' racist and hateful acts against Black and Arab people during police stops.

On Friday, the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) announced it dismantled a night patrol unit at Station 39 and removed 16 officers from patrol duties amid accusations of racial profiling and discrimination against Black and Arab people during police stops in the borough.

According to a Radio-Canada source, the officers have been accused of collecting pieces of locs, sometimes called dreadlocks, that had been cut from people during police interventions to keep as "trophies." Radio-Canada also reported that tickets were allegedly issued to citizens solely on the basis of their ethnic background.