Violence during a demonstration: the SPVM “confident” that new arrests will take place

The director of the Montreal Police Service (SPVM), Fady Dagher, stressed that he was “confident” that other arrests would take place in response to the violence carried out by rioters during an anti-NATO demonstration which took place Friday in Montreal. However, this could take a few days or even a few weeks.

The SPVM had already indicated that he had arrested three people during the demonstration. Two men, aged 22 and 28 respectively, and a 22-year-old woman were arrested for obstructing the work of the police, indicated Véronique Dubuc, spokesperson for the SPVM. The woman will also be charged with assault. All were identified and released at the scene. They will eventually have to appear in court to answer charges.

Authorities said vehicles were set on fire and windows smashed. Smoke bombs were used and metal barriers were then thrown into the street in order to hinder the work of the police, added the SPVM.

At a press conference, Fady Dagher ensures that the SPVM was ready and that there was a lot of staff. He also judges that several issues were anticipated, and that it could have been worse.

Highlighting the work outstanding of his police officers, the director of SPVM was more than firm towards certain rioters.

Honestly, I find it totally intolerable that we attack the police who are there for peace. […] All the demonstrations we have [supervisées] until now [se passent] generally very good. I will never accept that there is violence against my police officers.

There are some who listen, there are some who are there for others [motivations]. There are groups that didn't come at all [en raison] of a demonstration […]they came [avec comme motivation] to break thingshe added.

This demonstration was organized by the Divest for Palestine group and the Convergence of Anti-Capitalist Struggles.

Benoît Allard, a member of Divest for Palestine, accused the police of acting with violence. He said he and several protesters were injured by officers. Four demonstrators had to go to hospital.

Mr. Allard mentioned that the demonstration was intended to denounce the complicity of theI'LL TAKE with the Israeli army as it carries out genocide in Gaza, commits war crimes in Lebanon and Syria, and illegally occupies Palestinian territories.

The federal and provincial governments condemn the violence

The political class condemned the events of the day before on Saturday, denouncing in particular acts of anti-Semitism.

Speaking to reporters at the Halifax International Security Forum, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly and Defense Minister Bill Blair said the protesters' actions are unacceptable.

What we saw was not a peaceful protest. What we saw was violence, hatred and anti-Semitism. All this has no place in our streetslaunched Ms. Joly.

We believe in freedom of speech. We believe in the freedom to protest, but we draw the line when there is violence.

On social networks, Ms. Joly made the same speech.

Those who spread hatred and anti-Semitism, use violence, loot and destroy the city must be condemned and held accountable. Yesterday's riot is not a peaceful demonstration and has no place in Montreal or anywhere else in Canadashe wrote on the social network

Mr Blair added that the demonstration was neither peaceful nor law-abiding. According to him, it was a act of lawlessness perpetrated by a group of people.

They wanted to express hatred and violence in Montreal. These behaviors, particularly hatred and anti-Semitism, are unacceptable and we condemn them in the strongest possible terms.

Their boss, federal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, also condemned the events in Montreal without nuance. What we saw on the streets of Montreal last night was terrible. Acts of anti-Semitism, intimidation and violence must be condemned wherever they occur. There GRC is in contact with the local police. Rioters must be held accountable for their actionshe declared on X.

The Prime Minister of Quebec, François Legault, followed suit. The violent and hateful scenes we witnessed last night in the streets of Montreal, with attacks specifically targeting the Jewish community, are unacceptable. Burning cars and smashing windows isn't sending a message, it's causing chaos. Such acts have no place in a peaceful society like Quebec.

Still at the provincial level, the Minister of Public Security, François Bonnardel, also denounced the actions taken by thugs during this difficult evening for Montreal. He took the opportunity to salute the work of the SPVM, who did not have a easy work that evening.

The SPVM is equipped to respond to these demonstrations which degeneratehe assured on the airwaves of RDI.

Rest assured of one thing: investigators and police officers are on the lookout for – I hope – future arrests.

The leader of the Bloc Québécois, Yves-François Blanchet, also condemned the acts of violence who, under the pretext of supporting the Palestinians, serve extremist political interests and feed on division and hatred.

Accusations of anti-Semitism dismissed

Benoît Allard, of Divest for Palestine, rejected accusations of anti-Semitism. He said the protests were aimed at the actions of the State of Israel and not the Jewish people, adding that earlier this week the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

On Thursday, the court said in a press release that there were reasonable grounds to believe that Mr. Netanyahu had committed the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare; and crimes against humanity of murder, persecution and other inhumane acts.

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Around 80 people took part in the anti-I'LL TAKE organized Saturday in downtown Montreal by the Quebec Movement for Peace, brandishing signs on which one could read Canada outsideI'LL TAKE and chanting Solidarity with Palestine. Several people present waved Communist Party of Canada flags while others waved Palestinian flags.

Jad Kabbaji, president of the Quebec Movement for Peace, said Canada should refuse to respect the military spending targets of theI'LL TAKE. He also argued that despite calling itself a defensive alliance, theI'LL TAKE has destabilized many regions of the world and created military conflicts, particularly in the Middle East and Eastern Europe.

According to Mr. Kabbaji, Israel's military campaign in Gaza would not have been possible without the weapons provided by members of theI'LL TAKE such as the United States, and a policy of increasing acceptance of countries formerly part of the Soviet Union caused Russia to invade Ukraine.

Greg Beaune, vice president of the group, said the group condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but added that theI'LL TAKE had helped provoke conflict in the region.

Rana El Gharbie, a member of the group, said she did not support violent protests, but added that Canadians were increasingly frustrated with Canada's support for Israel and the lack of action to protect the Palestinians.

The parliamentary assembly of theI'LL TAKE is meeting in Montreal on Saturday and Sunday.

With information from The Canadian Press