Cross-University Protesters Join Concordia Demonstration

NewsAmanda Siino — Published March 27, 2012

Students from francophone universities and CEGEPs joined a Concordia student protest on March 27, marching through downtown Montreal in protest of the Charest government’s proposed tuition increases.

The demonstration began at the Hall building and continued throughout the afternoon.

The march progressed through the downtown core between Concordia and McGill and included a sit-in at the intersection of Guy St. and de Maisonneuve Blvd. W.

At around 11:45 a.m., approximately 50 students from other universities joined Concordia students on the seventh floor of the Hall Building before the group brought their movement to the streets.

“I was at the SAQ this morning at 7:00 a.m.,” said Richard, a UQAM student referring to an earlier protest held in front of an SAQ at the corner of de Lorimier Ave. and Notre-Dame St. E. “Today is kind of a protest marathon.”

“A whole group of us are standing in solidarity with Concordia students,” he said. “Especially in light of what happened yesterday with security

Approximately 150 to 200 students marched through the traffic on Sherbrooke St., gaining more protesters as the march continued. The march eventually entered McGill’s Humanities and Social Science Library and continued through the campus.

“As long as they are peaceful, we let them be,” said a McGill security guard.

Leaving McGill campus, the protesters then marched down René-Lévesque Blvd. before meeting a 2:00 p.m. protest organized by the Fédération des associations étudiantes du campus de l’Université de Montréal at the corner of de Maisonneuve Blvd. W. and Guy St.

They marched up to Sherbrooke St., then down Mackay St. to Ste. Catherine St. W., to McGill College Ave. and back to Sherbrooke St., stopping in front of the Loto-Québec building, where a line of nine riot police were blocking the entrance.

“We’re losing some momentum at Concordia and the administration is trying to scare us, but we’re demonstrating to say that we’re not afraid,” said Concordia undergrad Sara Tremblay, who participated in Tuesday’s march.

“We’re still standing for what we believe it, which is about the future and about the people, not our individual fears.”

—with files from Brian Lapuz