Maxence Valade sues Sret du Qubec after losing eye

A 23-year-old studentwho lost an eye at demonstration three years agoin Victoriaville, Que.is taking legal action against Quebec provincial police, Radio-Canada has learned.

• Student requires eye surgery after Quebec protest

Maxence Valade alleges he was hit in the faceby a rubber bullet fired by a Sret du Qubec officerwhile taking part ina May 2012 protest against tuition fee hikesoutside a Quebec Liberal Party meeting.

TheUniversit du Qubec Montral student said he suffered head trauma following the incident and had to undergo four surgeries. He now has a prosthetic eye.

"I cant use my eye anymore," Valade told Sue Smith on CBC's Homerun. "The police caused me a big trauma psychologically and physically."

Valadeis suing the force for $250,000 in damages.

I wantto create something so that were not silent anymore in front of that violence that police are creating here in Quebec," said Valade.

"I wanted it to be not only my legal procedures but also a common one because we need to understand that these non-lethal arms can kill."

The SQdeclined to comment, saying the case was before the courts.

In 2012, the SQ said Valade was injured before the protest. It also said anyprojectile that struckValade wasn't theirs.

The province'spolice ethics commissionissued a report a year after the incident. The report is still being studied.

Civil rights lawyer Julius Grey is representing Valade in the case.

He claims the injury was caused by excessive force.

"We're putting forward that this is much too much and that this kind of projectile should not have been present," said Grey.

Grey said he believes this court case will help establish what protesters can expect when they attend a demonstration, as well as what level offorce isacceptable for police to use.

"This case will establish certain norms that will be useful to demonstratorsand indeed to police to know what the limits are,and I think the limits were breached," said Grey.

He said police shoulduse force only to control crowdsin the most extreme cases.