MONTREAL — A Quebec man has been found in contempt of court for refusing to remove swastikas from outside his home in a municipality that he accuses of being the most racist in the world.
Quebec Superior Court ruled earlier this month that Yahia Meddah had not taken seriously rulings ordering him to remove the offensive signs. He could now face fines or even imprisonment.
The decision is the latest development in a years-long battle between Meddah and St-Barnabé-Sud, a town of roughly 1,000 people northeast of Montreal. While Meddah accuses the municipality of racism and intimidation, an official with the local government says the community is "in disarray" due to the ongoing conflict.
"This has to stop," Linda Normandeau, director general of the municipality, said in an interview. "We have an entire community that is being held hostage in this matter."
On March 14, Justice Chantal Lamarche found Meddah guilty of two counts of contempt of court. She ruled that he had failed to remove swastikas and other signs from around his home that compare the municipality to the Nazi regime and failed to deactivate a website that calls St-Barnabé-Sud "the most racist city in the world," in violation of a Nov. 15 injunction.
Meddah's defiance "undermines the credibility of the justice system, which is fundamental in a democratic society, a society governed by the rule of law," Lamarche wrote.
The swastikas first appeared on Meddah's property last June, following a dispute with the municipality over an inspection of his home. An emergency inspection in 2022 had revealed the presence of a generator, a barbecue and propane tanks inside the building, which was not equipped with smoke or carbon monoxide detectors. But Meddah, who lives in the home with several members of his family, refused to allow officials to conduct a followup inspection.
On June 7, a judge ruled the municipality "clearly" had the right to inspect the premises. The first signs, including the Nazi symbol, were posted on the balcony and windows of Meddah's home on June 19. Meddah also launched two websites around that time, accusing the local government of racism.
Normandeau said the signs were covered up after a judge granted a temporary injunction in late June, which was later extended to Nov. 14. But on the morning of Nov. 15, after the injunction expired, two new signs appeared bearing swastikas.
That day, a judge granted a new injunction valid until May 13. But more swastikas went up later that month, despite the court order. A third website with similar content to the first two is still live, detailing Meddah's grievances against the municipality, even though the Nov. 15 injunction ordered Meddah to take it down.
In her decision, Lamarche wrote that Meddah has mocked the court orders by "trying to play tricks." She pointed out that after being ordered not to use swastikas, Meddah sent an email to the municipality that included an image of Adolf Hitler giving the Nazi salute — but no swastika.
When a subsequent court order banned him from linking the municipality to Hitler, he superimposed the face of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un onto Hitler's body on some of the signs on the property.
Normandeau said Meddah's home is located at a busy intersection, with around 4,000 vehicles passing by each day. She said she regularly gets complaints about the signs from people passing through.
"These are symbols that represent horror," she said. "It remains a display that is very, very shocking for all citizens."
She said legal costs over the last two years have reached $135,000, though the municipality is receiving financial assistance from the Quebec federation of municipalities.
In testimony to the court, one of Meddah's sons said his family has been subject to racism, harassment, intimidation and vandalism, including one incident in which someone painted a swastika on his brother's car. Normandeau acknowledged in court that she had been informed of certain acts of vandalism targeting the family. She said she immediately published a public "appeal for calm."
Meddah did not respond to a request for comment from The Canadian Press.
Despite the court decision, the signs remain in place outside Meddah's home — for now. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for April 24, at which point the court could order them removed.
The municipality is seeking a permanent injunction against Meddah, who also faces charges of harassment against Normandeau in a criminal case to be heard next month.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 25, 2025.
Maura Forrest, The Canadian Press
