Night Demo Ends with Mass Arrests
Over 500 Fined in 30th Nightly Protest
The Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal employed a different tactic to bring an end the 30th consecutive night of demonstration against tuition hikes in Montreal.
Before it even began, the march that evening had already been declared illegal. The SPVM were enforcing a new Montreal bylaw, similar to some provisions of Bill 78, requiring that the police be informed and approve of any demonstration’s itinerary eight hours beforehand.
However, the SPVM announced the march would be tolerated as long as no criminal acts were committed.
Several thousands of students marched peacefully for about four hours,until the protest reached the corner of St. Denis St. and Shebrooke St. W. around midnight. At the intersection a line of riot police blocked the demonstration from moving any further south on St. Denis.
Within minutes three other lines of riot police appeared, sealing the intersection. Students, journalists and bystanders were all caught in the kettle, soon to be arrested and processed by the SPVM.
“Let us disperse,” sang students who seemed for the most part surprised by the police’s move.
The arrests, however, were justified according to SPVM spokesperson Ian Lafrénière.
“We’re talking about a lot of rocks that were thrown in the direction to officer, [and] we got one officer that was transported to the hospital,” said Lafrénière on CBC Daybreak.
“We [also] received a molotov cocktail,” he added.
Lafrenière confirmed the SPVM made 518 arrests, resulting in a $634 ticket for illegal assembly for most protesters as reported by La Presse.
Two reporters and a photographer from The Link were briefly detained on St. Denis and Sherbrooke before being released as well as other journalists and local media.
The 31st nightly demonstration is set to take place at Place Emilie-Gamelin tonight at 8:30 p.m.
