LOCAL HERO IS GIVEN HOMAGE

Friends and family packed a funeral home in downtown Terrebonne yesterday
to pay homage to a local hero who stood up to gang intimidation and paid
for it with his life.

On Tuesday, 29-year-old Francis Laforest was beaten to death with a
baseball bat outside his home in broad daylight, by three masked assailants.

The Surete du Quebec homicide squad, heading the investigation in
conjunction with Terrebonne municipal police, have no suspects, said
spokesman Isabelle Gendron.

But for people gathered at yesterday's prayer service, the culprits are
obvious. "It's definitely a gang job," said one man, who, like most people
in this small town north of Montreal, refused to be named for fear of
reprisals other than as a childhood friend of Laforest.

"He wanted to keep his place clean and free of drugs, so they killed him.
It was cowardly, gratuitous violence."

No one could say which gang was responsible, however.

About three weeks ago, Laforest, who practiced karate, was apparently
involved in a brawl with several members of the Rowdy Crew, a group of
bikers affiliated with the Hells Angels, just outside the bar and
restaurant he owned with his two younger brothers.

But friends said Laforest had repeatedly refused to allow any dealers to
operate on the premises of the McTavish, and was repeatedly threatened as a
result.

Molotov Cocktails

This summer, the McTavish was torched with molotov cocktails, said Patrick
O'Hara, a childhood friend of Laforest's, now general manager of Pub St.
Paul in Old Montreal. But Laforest rebuilt and reopened it despite
continued threats, O'Hara said.

"Frank kept throwing them out. That's the way he's always been. He had a
clean business, and received threats, but you can't let them get to you or
they'll walk all over you."

O'Hara said he didn't know what gang, if any, was responsible for his
friend's murder. He suggested that this time, it was more likely the work
of gang "wanna-bes."

"It was just three punks wanting to get noticed. They wanted their colours
and were ready to do anything to make their name."

But that doesn't mean it was an isolated incident, said O'Hara, who
criticized the mayor of Terrebonne, Jean-Marc Robitaille, for his inaction.

Over the last year, a strip club down the street from the McTavish has
received several bomb threats, said one resident; another mentioned
suspicious fires in other establishments.

The Don Quichotte bar, across the street from the McTavish, was firebombed
the morning after Laforest was attacked and is now gutted, with nothing but
the Christmas lights left still hanging. Terrebonne Municipal Police would
not comment on any of these incidents.

Terrebonne residents want to put a stop to what they see as increasing
lawlessness in their own town, as across Quebec.

"If we don't wake up and do something about the gangs, it's just going to
get worse," one man said.

Several Petitions

To that end, about 2,000 people - including reporter Michel Auger, who was
himself shot five times in the back about a month ago, supposedly by one of
two warring biker gangs - took to the streets on Saturday, marching from
the McTavish to the funeral home where Laforest's body lay, armed with
banners that read "No to intimidation" as well as several petitions.

"By standing up to organized crime, (Laforest) fought for his convictions
and that determination makes him a hero in our society," read one of the
petitions. "I support an anti-gang law to regain freedom and security in
our streets."

Another petition called for banning the new television show Tag. According to

Jeanine Cossette, who was gathering signatures yesterday, an episode of the
series two weeks ago showed a man being beaten outside his home with a
baseball bat.

"People who watch it learn how to steal a car, deal drugs and kill people.
Where are we going with shows like this? It is a school for violence,"
Cossette said.

By the time yesterday's short homage to Laforest was over, about 3,000
people had signed the petitions, hoping Laforest's death would serve some
purpose.

After the service, people went back to the McTavish, where bouquets of
flowers have piled up outside with children's drawings of peace decorating
the door of the pub.

One sign reading "I don't want to live in fear" hung next to pictures of
the pub's late owner and his two younger brothers.

"He was a hero to everyone," said Maxim Laforest, vowing to keep the place
open. "The march was proof of that." As to what should be done, "I hope the
city dedicates a park to him," he said.