Trudeau, political leaders denounce 'violence and hatred' at anti-NATO demonstration in Montreal
CBC
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has joined federal cabinet ministers and other politicians in condemning Friday night's anti-NATO demonstration in Montreal, calling the protesters' actions "appalling."
Montreal police say at least three people were arrested after protests by pro-Palestinian and anti-NATO demonstrators turned violent, with protesters throwing objects at police, lighting two vehicles on fire and breaking windows.
Police say they arrested a 22-year-old woman for obstructing police work and assaulting a police officer, as well as two men, 22 and 28, both for obstructing police work. All three were released and will appear in court at a later date.
Trudeau took to X Saturday afternoon to denounce the events that unfolded.
"What we saw on the streets of Montreal last night was appalling," he wrote. "Acts of antisemitism, intimidation, and violence must be condemned wherever we see them."
He said the RCMP is in touch with local police, adding "there must be consequences and rioters held accountable."
As of Saturday afternoon, Montreal police said they have not received any reports of antisemitic acts or other hate crimes related to the demonstration.
"I can't make the correlation with yesterday's acts, whether they were antisemitic or not," Montreal police chief Fady Dagher told reporters Saturday afternoon, adding that he's not ready to make any conclusions yet.
He explained that the people who caused the chaos had other objectives than those of the protesters.
"I find it totally intolerable, absolutely intolerable, to attack law enforcement officers who are there to keep the peace. All the demonstrations we've had so far have, generally, gone very well," he said.
Dagher pointed out that impromptu events are extremely difficult to anticipate and that, without police intervention, things would've been worse.
He says he is confident other arrests will be made in connection with the protest.
The protest, organized by the Divest for Palestine collective and anti-capitalist group CLAC, was meant to denounce the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as the city hosts the 70th annual session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly from Nov. 22 to 25.
Benoît Allard, a spokesperson for the Divest for Palestine collective, told the Canadian Press he and several other protesters were injured by police and at least four protesters had to go to hospital.
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