23 Nov: Federal cabinet ministers Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, have strongly condemned the violent anti-NATO protests in Montreal on Friday, citing “violence, hate, and antisemitism” as being present during the demonstration. Protesters, however, denied these accusations, asserting that their rally was against NATO’s alleged role in supporting military actions that have killed thousands of Palestinians.
The protest, organized by Divest for Palestine and the Convergence of Anti-Capitalist Struggles, resulted in clashes that led to three arrests and significant property damage. Police reported that two men, aged 22 and 28, and a 22-year-old woman were arrested for obstructing police work, with the woman also facing charges of assaulting an officer. All three were released and are scheduled to appear in court at a later date.
According to Montreal police, the demonstration, which began Friday afternoon, involved protesters deploying smoke bombs, hurling metal barriers into streets, and smashing windows at businesses and the convention centre. The protest also resulted in two car fires. Protest organizers claimed several participants were injured during confrontations with law enforcement, and four individuals required hospital treatment.
Benoît Allard, a spokesperson for Divest for Palestine, defended the protest’s intent, describing it as opposition to NATO’s alleged complicity in Israel’s military operations in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. He rejected accusations of antisemitism, emphasizing that the demonstration targeted Israeli state actions, not Jewish people.
Speaking at the Halifax International Security Forum on Saturday, Mélanie Joly stated, “What we saw was not peaceful protest. What we saw was actually violence, hate, and antisemitism, and this has no place on our streets.” Bill Blair echoed her sentiments, describing the demonstration as “an act of anarchy” and emphasizing that “those behaviors are unacceptable.” Both ministers stressed that while the government supports freedom of speech and the right to protest, violence crosses the line of acceptable conduct.
Allard responded by rejecting claims of antisemitism, pointing to the International Criminal Court’s recent arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The court accuses Netanyahu of war crimes, including the use of starvation as a method of warfare and crimes against humanity.
Montreal police confirmed the protest was fully dispersed by 7 p.m., but additional anti-NATO protests are planned over the weekend. Saturday’s rally is organized by Mouvement Québécois pour la paix, which advocates for peace and opposes imperialism, criticizing NATO for its role in global conflicts.
Delegates from NATO member states and partner countries are convening in Montreal this weekend to address topics such as support for Ukraine, climate change, and the alliance’s future.
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