00:39Canada: Police fire stun grenades and tear gas at Montreal protesters
Police fired stun grenades and tear gas to disperse hundreds of demonstrators in Montreal on Friday, as nationwide anti-austerity protests continued in the city's downtown district. Following the dispersal, protesters erected barricades around Montreal's Phillips Square.
The rally kicked off at Dominion Square earlier in the evening, however by 9:15p p.m. EDT (16:15 CET), local police ordered the protest to end, claiming that it was illegal as organisers had allegedly failed to provide their itinerary. Within 30 minutes of the protest being declared illegal, riot police began dispersing protesters from St. Catherine Street.
Earlier in the day, up to 100 masked activists reportedly stormed the University of Quebec in Montreal, protesting against the potential expulsion of nine students who were involved in similar protests in 2012.
Friday's violence follows similar scenes on March 26 in Quebec City, where dozens of protesters were arrested in what police called an illegal demonstration. Students and anti-austerity campaigners have been marching against government cuts which they believe will negatively impact public-sector workers. Tens of thousands of students have gone on strike in Montreal, Quebec City and Chicoutimi.
00:39Police fired stun grenades and tear gas to disperse hundreds of demonstrators in Montreal on Friday, as nationwide anti-austerity protests continued in the city's downtown district. Following the dispersal, protesters erected barricades around Montreal's Phillips Square.
The rally kicked off at Dominion Square earlier in the evening, however by 9:15p p.m. EDT (16:15 CET), local police ordered the protest to end, claiming that it was illegal as organisers had allegedly failed to provide their itinerary. Within 30 minutes of the protest being declared illegal, riot police began dispersing protesters from St. Catherine Street.
Earlier in the day, up to 100 masked activists reportedly stormed the University of Quebec in Montreal, protesting against the potential expulsion of nine students who were involved in similar protests in 2012.
Friday's violence follows similar scenes on March 26 in Quebec City, where dozens of protesters were arrested in what police called an illegal demonstration. Students and anti-austerity campaigners have been marching against government cuts which they believe will negatively impact public-sector workers. Tens of thousands of students have gone on strike in Montreal, Quebec City and Chicoutimi.