Not so long ago, I wrote a silly little screed about the closing of Harji’s, a Mile End grocery store that was subsequently passed on to new owners. While walking past the shop today, I noticed that a sign, a petition, and a copy of this Montreal Gazette article were taped to its boarded-up windows.
Apparently, the shop, which was renamed Aliments Bala, has been firebombed twice during the last six months. Police have made no arrests in either case, nor, presumably, do they have any leads in the attempted shakedown of a neighbouring business owner. Now that I think of it, they haven’t made much headway on another arson case just up the street, which had the unfortunate consequence of destroying a three-story building and leaving an acquaintance of mine homeless.
In any case, I would like to publicly state that, though I stand by my original post, I wish the owners of Aliments Bala well and hope that justice is eventually served. I also urge you to support them by signing their petition, which simply asks for the right to remain where they are without further threat of violence.
