International Day Against Police Brutality2026 · Date · History · Messages
The Collective Opposed to Police Brutality (COBP) documents March 15 as the International Day Against Police Brutality since 1997, with independent historical corroboration.
About International Day Against Police Brutality
International Day Against Police Brutality is observed on March 15 and has been marked through civil-society actions since 1997.
The Montreal-based Collective Opposed to Police Brutality (COBP) says the first day was organized jointly with the Black Flag Collective in Switzerland.
Why International Day Against Police Brutality matters
The observance is an activist/civil-society day focused on concerns about police violence, accountability and rights.
Its origin is documented by organizers; claims about the incident that inspired the date are presented as organizer-attributed history rather than as an independent legal finding.
History of International Day Against Police Brutality
COBP states that it has organized an annual March 15 demonstration in Montreal since March 15, 1997.
A 2007 movement publication says the first international day was initiated in 1997 by the Black Flag Collective in Switzerland with help from COBP in Montreal.
That publication says March 15 was selected because of a March 15, 1996 incident in Switzerland involving two children and police.
Current Montreal organizers continue to describe the 1997 COBP/Black Flag launch as the origin of the March 15 tradition.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Black Flag Collective (Switzerland) with the Collective Opposed to Police Brutality (Montreal)
COBP and later Montreal organizer materials identify the 1997 launch as joint work involving the Swiss Black Flag Collective and Montreal COBP.
Black Flag Collective and Collective Opposed to Police Brutality (COBP)
The observance began as a civil-society organizing initiative of these groups rather than a government proclamation.
First documented observance
COBP says it has organized the annual Montreal demonstration since March 15, 1997, and a 2007 movement publication calls 1997 the first International Day Against Police Brutality.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
5 fields not established in reviewed sources
How to Observe International Day Against Police Brutality
Read the organizer history and compare it with independent reporting about the annual observance.
Learn how police oversight, complaint and accountability systems work in your own jurisdiction.
Review local civil-rights and public-safety resources from reliable institutions.
If attending a public event, check current local information and follow applicable laws and safety guidance.
International Day Against Police Brutality Facts
International Day Against Police Brutality is observed on March 15.
COBP documents an annual Montreal demonstration from March 15, 1997.
The origin is attributed to COBP in Montreal and the Black Flag Collective in Switzerland.
Organizer materials say the date was chosen in response to a March 15, 1996 incident in Switzerland involving two children and police.
The observance has spread beyond its original Canadian-Swiss organizing context.
International Day Against Police Brutality Messages
On International Day Against Police Brutality, take time to understand local rights, complaint processes and accountability systems.
Whatever your perspective, March 15 can be used to examine evidence, rights and accountability with care.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
Collectif 15 Mars — annual demonstration history (opens in a new tab)
Collective Opposed to Police Brutality — Who We Are (opens in a new tab)
COBP — Who We Are / March 15 observance history (opens in a new tab)
Organizer Primary
Wikipedia — International Day Against Police Brutality (opens in a new tab)
Historical Corroboration
2007 March 15 movement publication (opens in a new tab)
Global News Montreal — 2022 annual march report (opens in a new tab)
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is International Day Against Police Brutality?
15 March The documented recurrence rule is: 15 March each year..
Does International Day Against Police Brutality fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is International Day Against Police Brutality an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: International activist/civil-society observance originating in Montreal. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes International Day Against Police Brutality?
The reviewed sources identify Black Flag Collective and Collective Opposed to Police Brutality (COBP) as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as Black Flag Collective (Switzerland) with the Collective Opposed to Police Brutality (Montreal).
Is International Day Against Police Brutality international or country-specific?
The documented scope is international or global: International activist/civil-society observance originating in Montreal. That does not mean every country treats the date as a public holiday or observes it in the same way.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-11.
When is International Day Against Police Brutality?
It is observed on March 15.
When did it begin?
Organizer records identify March 15, 1997 as the first observance.
Who started it?
The reviewed organizer history attributes the launch to the Black Flag Collective in Switzerland working with the Montreal-based Collective Opposed to Police Brutality.
Why is it on March 15?
Organizer materials say the date was chosen because of a March 15, 1996 incident in Switzerland involving two children and police; this page preserves that as an attributed organizer account.
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These observances are also listed on March 15, 2027.
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