Cars burned, windows smashed at pro-Palestinian, anti-NATO demonstration in Montreal

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Three people were arrested after a pro-Palestinian, anti-NATO protest saw smashed windows, clashes with police officers, and vehicles ablaze on Friday evening.

The protest coincided with the arrival of approximately 300 delegates from NATO member states and partner countries attending a high-level summit, running from Nov. 22 to 25 in Montreal, focused on Ukraine, climate change, and the alliance’s future. The protest also came as the second day of the wave of student-wide pro-Palestinian protests across Montreal.

An initial group of protesters gathered at Émilie-Gamelin Parc downtown at around 4:30 p.m. before marching toward the Quartier des Spectacles, according to Manuel Couture, a spokesperson for the Montreal police. By 5:30 p.m., another group had converged at Place des Arts, and the two demonstrations merged.

The protesters then marched down St-Urbain St. At 6:10 p.m., tensions escalated as demonstrators set an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on fire in the middle of the crowd. As the march continued, objects — including small explosive devices and metal items — were hurled into the street, targeting police officers. By 6:40 p.m., protesters had smashed shop windows near St-Urbain and René-Lévesque Blvd., and set two vehicles ablaze.

On Monday, however, Montreal police appeared to walk back on how protesters set the cars on fire. Now the cause is under investigation, a spokesperson said Monday.

Couture said police deployed chemical irritants and conducted crowd-dispersal manoeuvres to regain control. Three protesters were arrested for allegedly assaulting police officers and obstructing police work.

Couture said the protesters had dispersed by 7 p.m.

According to fliers posted on social media, Friday’s protest was organized by Divest for Palestine, an anti-capitalist group describing itself as a “collective of citizens, activists, and civil society groups involved in the Palestinian struggle.”

An Instagram post by the group said the protest was endorsed by dozens of organizations, including student groups such as Divest McGill and the Concordia Research and Education Workers Union, as well as other groups like Independent Jewish Voices Montreal and Montreal Antifa.

The protest came amid heightened tensions following Thursday’s pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Concordia University, which saw protesters march through downtown Montreal to protest against Israel’s military actions in Gaza and clash with pro-Israel counter demonstrators outside.

On the Sunday following the protest, Divest for Palestine defended its Friday protest in a statement, denouncing what it described as “the dishonest attempts by politicians to hijack the political message of the November 22th demonstration against NATO and the colonial genocide in Palestine.”

The group also condemned the police response to its protest, adding four protesters were injured.

Montreal police said on Sunday evening no further arrests had been made, but their investigation is continuing.

hnorth@postmedia.com