Violence at May 1 anti-capitalist Montreal protest

The annual May Day march in Montreal turned violent, with demonstrators smashing the windows of businesses, setting off smoke bombs, and fighting with police. 

Mayor, MPs Condemn Violent May Day Demonstration in Montreal | Epoch Times | Chandra Philip:

May 2, 2024 - "Local and federal politicians are condemning the actions of protestors after the annual May Day march in Montreal turned violent, with demonstrators smashing windows of businesses and setting off smoke bombs. Thousands of people turned out to the International Workers Day or May Day march at Francois-Perrault Park near the Saint-Michel metro station on May 1, according to reports. The event was organized by a coalition of unions and community organizations under the umbrella group May 1 Montreal Coalition. 

"Videos circulating on social media show protestors in black masks and hoods smashing windows and throwing parking cones and other items. Montreal police said officers had to step in to disperse the crowd. 'Due to several offenses committed during [demonstrations], we are carrying out a dispersal operation in the Sherbrooke/Robert-Bourassa sector. People must leave the premises immediately,' police said in a post on X. 

"Smoke bombs, parking cones, trash cans, and signs were thrown about by demonstrators, according to a TVA reporter, who also said officers were attacked and pepper spray was used.

"The Epoch Times contacted the May 1 Montreal Coalition and Montreal police for comment but did not hear back by publication time.

"Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante condemned the protesters’ behaviour in a post on social media. 'These actions are absolutely unacceptable,' she said in a May 2 post on social media. 'I denounce the mayhem suffered by downtown merchants last night during the anti-capitalist demonstration'.... 

"This year’s theme for the protest event was ‘united to make our voices heard,’ according to a press release from the coalition. The release said there were concerns that needed to be handled collectively, including climate change, working conditions of temporary foreign workers, 'antidemocratic abuses' by Quebec Premier François Legault, and an out-of-touch government."

Read more: https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/mayor-mps-condemn-violent-may-day-riots-in-montreal-5642391

Montreal annual may day protest 2024 | Montreal’s interesthings | May 4, 2024:

Striking gov't workers shut down 3 Canadian ports

[Updated April 27, 2023]

Striking public servants block access to government buildings and key infrastructure | CP24 - Cindy Tran & Laura Osman, Canadian Press:

April 25, 2023 - "Federal ministers said Tuesday they are monitoring for blockades of critical roads and infrastructure as striking federal workers ... ramp[ed] up their picket efforts by disrupting traffic and limiting access to office buildings in downtown Ottawa. More than 150,000 federal public servants with the Public Service Alliance of Canada were on strike for the seventh straight day as their union representatives continued to negotiate with the government for a bigger wage increase and more flexibility to work remotely.

"Around the National Capital Region, hundreds of striking workers made their presence felt and heard, circling buildings, chanting through megaphones and blasting music throughout the morning. Hundreds of public servants marched across the Portage Bridge between Ottawa and Gatineau, Que., where some of the biggest federal buildings are located, holding up traffic for a short period Tuesday morning. Outside the Prime Minister's Office building and the Treasury Board headquarters a few blocks away, strikers limited entry to just one person every five minutes.

"The escalation in the strike activity comes after a promise by union president Chris Aylward that picket lines would move to more 'strategic locations,' including ports of entry where the strike would have a greater economic impact. PSAC said on Monday they 'shut down' the ports in Montreal, Vancouver and St. John's. 

"Federal ministers meeting in Ottawa for the "weekly cabinet meeting said they were keeping an eye out for blockades at critical infrastructure.... Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said he has been in contact with ports and airports to make sure they have contingency plans in place....

"Federal and provincial governments are more aware than ever about how vulnerable and critical major roadways and ports of entry are after last year's 'Freedom Convoy,' said Ambarish Chandra, an associate professor of economics at the University of Toronto. Demonstrators took over major roads in downtown Ottawa for three weeks and blockaded several border crossings for days in February 2022 to protest vaccine mandates and the federal government. The protest precipitated the first use of the federal Emergencies Act.... [F]ederal workers' decision to target points of critical infrastructure could inspire copycat events, said Chandra.."

Read more: https://www.cp24.com/news/striking-public-servants-block-access-to-government-buildings-and-key-infrastructure-1.6370885

The Andrew Lawton Show | Public servants are blocking infrastructure, and Trudeau doesn’t seem to mind | Andrew Lawton Show, True North:

April 25, 2023 - "The Public Service Alliance of Canada’s strike continues, and has escalated into blocks of government buildings and other infrastructure. Union president Chris Aylward even said striking public servants may go to ports of entry to maximize the economic impact.... In spite of this, no one in the federal government is talking about [using] the Emergencies Act, True North’s Andrew Lawton points out. Canadian Taxpayers Federation federal director Franco Terrazzano joins to talk about the latest strike news."

Read more: https://tnc.news/2023/04/25/alshow-public-servants-strike/