Montreal police officers entered the courtyard of Maisonneuve elementary school in the Hochelaga‑Maisonneuve neighbourhood on the evening of August 7, 2026, and removed three pre‑adolescent boys who were playing soccer. The officers arrived at approximately 7:00 p.m. in two patrol cars, with a total of five officers on scene, after being called to address a disturbance in the schoolyard.
According to a neighbor, Noam Arbaoui, the disturbance involved the three youths engaged in the soccer game. Arbaoui reported the situation to police, prompting the response. Upon arrival, the officers directed the boys to leave the courtyard, effectively ending the game and clearing the area.
The action taken by the police was limited to the removal of the three children from the schoolyard; no further details about subsequent measures or any additional follow‑up were provided. The incident occurred within the grounds of the public elementary school, which serves students from the surrounding community.
The presence of five officers in two vehicles underscores the level of resources allocated to the response, though the specific reason for deploying that number of officers has not been disclosed. The three youths, identified only as pre‑teens, were escorted from the location without any mention of arrests or citations.
No additional parties were reported to be involved, and the incident concluded with the boys’ departure from the schoolyard. The school and police have not released further statements regarding the incident or any plans for future monitoring of the area.
The event highlights a police intervention in a school environment in response to a relatively minor disturbance involving children at play, with the primary outcome being the cessation of the soccer activity and the removal of the participants from the premises.