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In Canada, a Quebec judge defended during a hearing the right of citizens to offend, as well as their use of the middle finger. Illustrative photo.
CANADA – In La Belle Province, the middle finger is sacred. While in France, the political class is choking on the arms of honor launched by the Minister of Justice Éric Dupond-Moretti in the National Assembly, a Quebec judge had recently given the dots on the i. Yes, it is possible to « flip the bird » (“give the middle finger”editor’s note) to someone without being condemned, and it is even a ” divine right “estimated this judge during a trial at the end of February about a dispute between neighbors.
It all started with a falling out − a « chicane » as Quebecers say – between two neighboring families in the western suburbs of Montreal. The Naccaches blame the Epsteins for letting their two little girls play in their common street and causing noise pollution, reports The Press.
The situation escalates quickly and the first, annoyed by the two young children, start driving dangerously around the two little girls, without slowing down, or passing very close to them, writes judge Dennis Galiatsatos in his report of hearing at the Court of Quebec. Exasperated, the Epsteins would then have threatened the Naccaches, whom they then rewarded with the fingers of honor.
“A divine right, enshrined in the Charters”
By dint of complaints, and on the basis of a supposed ” death threat “, the Naccache family managed to bring the case to court. But the hearing did not go as planned, since judge Denis Galiatsatos, exasperated by “absurdity” of the file, did not believe in the threats denied en bloc by the Epsteins and even sanctified their right to offend their neighbors, as well as their use of the middle finger.
“To be as clear as possible, it’s not a crime to give the middle finger. Raising the middle finger is a divine right, enshrined in the Charters (of rights and freedoms, editor’s note), which belongs to all warm-blooded Canadians”writes the judge in his report of February 24.
And to continue: “It may not be civil or polite or gallant. But regardless, it does not entail criminal liability. Offending someone is not a crime (…) Citizens must be less sensitive, especially when they behave in such a way as to cause such insult – for example driving too fast in a street where innocent children are playing. »
Finally judging that the Epsteins had nothing to reproach themselves for and that they were within their rights by letting their daughters have fun in their private driveway, judge Denis Galiatsatos decided to drop all charges against them.
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