Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante told journalists at a news conference that the pro-Palestinian and anti-NATO protests that took place over the weekend were “not antisemitic” and were taken over “by professional vandals.”
She said it’s a common occurance in Montreal for “agitators,” often known as the Black Bloc, to show up at protests in the city to vandalize and smash windows and police are used to it.
“The protest itself was to share concern about what’s happening in Palestine and vandals took over the protest,” she said.
“It’s using a cause to break things and put people’s security at risk. Protesting is a sign of a healthy democracy, but the vandals are just thinking of themselves and not the cause or the effects it will have one everyone else,” she added.
When pressed by journalists on what will happen to protesters who were arrested, she said the legal system is equipped to handle it and there will likely be more arrests in the coming days. She also specified that there are no longer rules around covering one’s face at protests since the bylaw was struck down in court.
Plante condemned the actions of one woman who was filmed making antisemitic gestures and making hateful comments at a protest last Friday, and said Second Cup made the right decision by removing her from the franchise.
However, she said the actions of the woman at “one protest” didn’t reflect on all protesters.
“Antisemitism and islamophobia are completely unacceptable,” she said. “We need to protect both sides.”
