Pic Picks

The Link’s photo blog. Selections of our best pictures each week, from sports, arts, news and beyond.

  • P-6 Protest at City Hall

    Posted by Brian Lapuz in Pic Picks on April 25, 2013 | Comments

    • Three masked protesters pose in Montreal’s City Hall during a debate on the rescinding of 2012-amendments to municipal bylaw P-6 on April 23, 2013. Photo Brian Lapuz

    • A protester blows a horn following the defeat of Norris’s motion to repeal 2012-amendments to municipal bylaw P-6 on April 23, 2013. Photo Brian Lapuz

    • Montreal City Hall security guards preventing protesters from entering the council chambers after the P-6 vote on April 23, 2013. Photo Brian Lapuz

    • Montreal City Hall security guards preventing protesters from entering the council chambers after the P-6 vote, on April 22, 2013. Photo Brian Lapuz

    • Protesters stage an impromptu sit-in after their scuffle with Montreal City Hall security guards April 23, 2013. Photo Brian Lapuz

    • Anarchopanda speaks to police officers during a demonstration in front of city hall on April 22. Photo Erin Sparks

    • Riot police closely patrolled the area around city hall during the April 22 demonstration against bylaw P-6. Photo Erin Sparks

    • Protesters hold a sign calling for the resignation of interim mayor Michael Applebaum on April 22, 2013. Photo Erin Sparks

    On April 23, around 50 protesters gathered at Montreal’s City Hall for a second day in a row to witness council vote on the controversial bylaw P-6.


    The bylaw bans protesters from wearing masks, and requires the demonstration’s route to be submitted 24 hours in advance.

    Ultimately, councillors voted to keep the bylaw as is.

    Many cheered, booed and blew horns as they watched the debate on a projector screen outside the council chambers, while other protesters stood close to the speakers to hear the councillor’s arguments.

    Projet Montréal councillor Alex Norris proposed the motion to repeal the section banning people from wearing masks at an illegal demonstration and the section requiring the disclosure of a protest route. The latter is responsible for the detention and ticketing of hundreds of protesters this spring. Those ticketed face a fine of $637.

    Norris’s motion was defeated by a vote of 34 to 25.

    The amendments to bylaw P-6 in question were voted during last year’s Quebec student strike, but were not enforced until this year.

  • Annual Earth Day Rally

    Posted by The Link in Pic Picks on April 23, 2013 | Comments

    • Photo Louis Gabe Keroack

    • Photo Louis Gabe Keroack

    • Photo Louis Gabe Keroack

    • Photo Louis Gabe Keroack

    • Photo Louis Gabe Keroack

    The annual Earth Day march in took place April 21 in Montreal, with about 50,000 coming out to rally around environmental protection. Photos Louis Gabe Keroack

  • April 8 Candlelight Vigil In Support of Raymond Robinson’s Hunger Strike

    Posted by The Link in Pic Picks on April 8, 2013 | Comments

    • Photo Gabriel Ellison-Scowcroft

    • Photo Gabriel Ellison-Scowcroft

    • Photo Gabriel Ellison-Scowcroft

    • Photo Gabriel Ellison-Scowcroft

    April 8 Candlelight Vigil in support of Raymond Robinson’s Hunger Strike. Robinson has not been consuming liquids or solids since April 5. He says he will end his strike when Stephen Harper agrees to speak “nation to nation” with him. Photo Gabriel Ellison-Scowcroft

  • Photos from April 5 CLAC Demonstration

    Posted by The Link in Pic Picks on April 7, 2013 | Comments

    • Demonstrators making their way downtown before police stop them. Photo Brandon Johnston

    • An officer watching over a group of kettled demonstrators. Photo Brandon Johnston

    • Officers talking outside a group of kettled demonstrators. Photo Brandon Johnston

    • One of the many graphic flyers posted during and after the demonstration. The image has been widely discussed after a woman was arrested for posting it on her Instagram account, along with other images directed towards police. Photo Brandon Johnston

    Get the full story and video here.

    On April 5, roughly 300 protesters gathered at Parc Émilie Gamelin to protest municipal bylaw P-6, which requires all demonstrations to provide their route 24 hours in advance to police and also prohibits demonstrators from wearing masks. Riot police kettled demonstrators shortly after the group began to circle the park. In total, over 260 people were ticketed and the demonstration ended shortly after it began. All photos by Brandon Johnston.

  • Photos from March 22 Day of Action

    Posted by Erin Sparks in Pic Picks on March 22, 2013 | Comments

    • A ticketed protestor is led away from the kettle after being processed by police. Photo Erin Sparks

    • Police officers rest inside a gas station as protestors are ticketed and processed outside. Photo Erin Sparks

    • A woman’s zip-cuffs are cut before she is released. Photo Erin Sparks

    • A police and his horse guard the outside of the kettle on St. Timothée St. Photo Erin Sparks

    • A kettled protestor holds up a peace sign shortly after being trapped by police on de Maisonneuve Blvd. Photo Erin Sparks

    • A police officer guards the outside of a kettle on St. Timothée St. Photo Erin Sparks

    • A police officer cuts the zip-cuffs of an arrested protestor before loading her into a police car. Photo Erin Sparks

    • A ticketed protestor holds up a souvenir after exiting the kettle - a fine of $637. Photo Erin Sparks


    Get the full story in our News section.

    The one year anniversary of the March 22 Day of Action saw a few hundred demonstrators take to the streets of Montreal. After approximately five minutes of protest, however, the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal officers moved in and kettled demonstrators on de Maisonneuve Blvd.