A Halloween decoration that is a little too scary in Montreal

A “very realistic” fake corpse hanging above a Montreal sidewalk for Halloween is not unanimous in the neighborhood and is denounced by suicide prevention organizations.

For the past few days, passers-by strolling on rue Saint-Urbain in the borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville in Montreal will see a decoration above their heads that sends shivers down the spine.

A tied up fake corpse wearing jeans and having a bloody bag on his head hangs there with a rope on the branch of a tree.

“It looks so real from head to toe. I thought it was really someone committing suicide for real. It scared me,” said Jennifer Lam, a passer-by on her way to work when she saw the decoration for the first time yesterday. The Journal has also witnessed the jump she made when she saw him.

“In the evening it gets dark, honestly, an old person could see that and have a heart attack,” adds Ms. Lam.

Laurie, a 61-year-old neighbor, also doesn’t like seeing a fake corpse hanging outside her house.

“There is so much violence in Montreal these days that we won’t start putting people hanging from the trees. There are children who see that”, she underlines.

A beautiful decor, say other neighbors

Other neighbors interviewed by the Journal rather liked the decoration, judging that it played its role well in scaring people as Halloween approached.

“It’s a good Halloween decoration!, believes Manpreet Singh, 37 years old. Everyone comes and stops to take pictures.

“Honestly, it bothers me zero. I know it’s Halloween and I’ve seen worse,” reacts Danny, a 37-year-old neighbor.

Organizations denounce

However, suicide prevention organizations are convinced that this is going too far.

“It’s really very realistic and I think we haven’t measured the impact it can have,” believes Sylvie Boivin, executive director of Suicide action Montreal.

“There is a very violent connotation to hanging. Whether by suicide or if we look at the times when people were hanged. There may be people who have experienced situations in their family or who have already been well despite themselves in front of a person who committed suicide by hanging, adds Ms. Boivin. We should avoid having this kind of decoration.

“At the time, we think it’s a good idea, but it can really shock people, says Jérôme Gaudreau, CEO of the Quebec Association for Suicide Prevention (AQPS). Unfortunately, the phenomenon of suicide is trivialized and we use it in many ways without realizing that we can shock people who have experienced trauma.

For his part, the one who installed the fake corpse like many Halloween decorations in front of his home was not very talkative when crossed by the Journal.

“[Mon intention] it’s just to scare. I apologize! I don’t want to shock the world,” said Matthew Farah.

The Service de police de la Ville de Montréal and the Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough had not answered the questions of the Log Tuesday evening.