Three people were taken into custody following a protest in downtown Montreal that descended into violence on Friday evening. Demonstrators vandalized property, shattering windows and torching cars, during an event that combined opposition to a NATO parliamentary summit with pro-Palestinian activism, according to the Montreal Gazette.
The unrest occurred as around 300 NATO representatives gathered in Montreal for a summit addressing key issues, including the conflict in Ukraine, climate initiatives, and the alliance’s strategic goals. The event, which runs from November 22-25, coincided with a second consecutive day of widespread student-led pro-Palestinian protests across the city, as reported by the Montreal Gazette.
Montreal police spokesperson Manuel Couture, speaking to the Montreal Gazette, explained that the protest initially began at a downtown park at 4:30 p.m. Participants then marched toward the city’s entertainment district. Shortly afterward, at 5:30 p.m., another group congregated at a prominent cultural venue, where the two demonstrations converged.
As the combined rally moved through the streets of downtown Montreal, tensions escalated. At 6:10 p.m., protesters burned an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The situation worsened as protesters began hurling objects at law enforcement officers, including small explosive devices and metal objects. By 6:40 p.m., the demonstrations had turned destructive, with participants smashing storefront windows and igniting two cars in the downtown area.
In response, police used chemical dispersants and implemented crowd control measures to bring the situation under control, Couture told the Montreal Gazette. Authorities arrested three individuals on suspicion of assaulting police officers and obstructing police operations. By 7 p.m., the crowd had dispersed, and order was restored.
{Matzav.com}