By Matthew Daldalian, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Around two dozen citizens gathered at Jarry Park public pool last Saturday July 5th— not to swim, but to protest what they described as repeated incidents of voyeurism and inappropriate behaviour targeting women in the area.

Concerned Citizens

Mandana Javan, a concerned citizen and community volunteer, helped organize the awareness event by handing out bilingual flyers to park-goers. The flyers offered information about how to report harassment and emphasized that the issue affects everyone.

Mandana Javan holding flyers to raise awareness on defending public spaces at Jarry Park on July 5 2025 (Photo by Matthew Daldalian).

“Our responsibility as citizens is just to raise awareness, especially talking to our kids or teens or young women, even to men,” said Javan.

She said women in the neighbourhood have approached her directly to share troubling experiences.

The protest comes after weeks of mounting concern on social media, particularly Reddit, where users began reporting incidents near the pool. Women described men loitering by the fence line, staring for long periods, following them through the park, and in some cases, allegedly photographing them without consent.

Although under Quebec law— and affirmed in Aubry v. Éditions Vice‑Versa Inc.— taking photos of people in public isn’t necessarily illegal, it’s publishing them without consent that crosses the line. In this case, under the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, that means voyeurs snapping pictures at Jarry Park may not technically be breaking the law, even if their behaviour feels invasive and unsettling.

The digital outcry soon transformed into a real-world call to action.

Guillaume Barnabé, a Reddit user, saw the concerns posted online. He said the number of first-hand reports convinced him something needed to be done— so he decided to help organize the in-person gathering.

Guillaume Barnabé standing in front of Jarry Park’s public pool at on July 5 2025 (Photo by Matthew Daldalian).

“There was a lot of people complaining that people were snooping around, looking at them,” Barnabé said in an interview. “And a lot of people said over the years they stopped coming here because of that.”

While the group of participants remained small, Barnabé said the purpose was never to draw a crowd, but to encourage everyday people to take these behaviours seriously and respond.

“You should act up. You should say something. You shouldn’t stand on the side and just wait for it to happen,” he said.

Broader Issue

Barnabé believed that issues like voyeurism in public spaces are part of a broader societal problem— and not unique to any one location or group.

“It’s not even just about parc Jarry,” he said. “As a society, we’re failing to make— more specifically men— understand that catcalling in streets, or staring, or whistling at women is just wrong. It’s not appreciated.”

Jean-Christophe Arsenault, another user of the Montreal subreddit, came to the park for the first time after reading several disturbing posts.

“I heard dozens of witnessings,” said Arsenault. “People complaining about groups of men who would stalk them during the night, who would take pictures of the pool, who would just stand there for hours on end and look at people — especially women, even children.”

Arsenault said that while women have long faced these issues, he believes it’s time for men to take a stand.

“These men, they won’t listen to women. I don’t believe so,” he said. “And so, it has to be men who speak up. We have to move out. We have to step up.”

He said his motivation to participate comes from both personal conviction and a broader concern about the limits placed on women’s freedom of movement.

Handling the Situation

Montreal police and the borough of Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension say they are now taking the situation seriously.

The borough confirmed it received three formal complaints about voyeurism and inappropriate gestures directed toward swimmers at the pool. In response, the city has deployed additional staff to monitor the area.

Police officers from the neighbourhood station have also increased their presence, patrolling on foot and by bicycle.

Entrance to Jarry Park’s public pool at on July 5 2025 (Photo by Matthew Daldalian).

In a statement provided to Parc-Ex News, the borough said: “Any form of harassment is unacceptable and will be dealt with the utmost rigour.”

Javan stressed that it isn’t the role of concerned citizens to directly confront individuals engaging in inappropriate behaviour.

“This is not our responsibility as citizens. Our responsibility as citizens is just to raise awareness— to inform and to document and to stop these individuals if they are not accepting to stop their unacceptable behaviour.”

While Barnabé applauds the city’s response so far, he says real change will only come if people keep paying attention.

“If we let it go and keep going, it can get worse,” he said.