Man who called Quebec City police officer ‘douchebag’ ordered to pay $150 fine
MONTREAL — Following exhaustive analysis, a Quebec City municipal court judge has determined the word “douchebag” is indeed an insult, and a man who levelled it a police officer was guilty of a bylaw violation.
After a night out last June 23, Philip Blaney came across two friends sitting on the curb by a police cruiser. After asking them what was going on, Blaney turned toward the cruiser and said in French, “You big douchebag.”
Under a Quebec City bylaw governing peace and good order, it is prohibited to insult police officers. Blaney was issued a ticket, which he challenged in court.
In finding Blaney guilty, Judge Patrice Simard delved into dictionaries, even reproducing a passage where Stephen King used the offending word in his novel, “The Stand.”