Responding to the premier’s call for more arrests after Friday’s violent downtown protest, the mayor said she won’t interfere in police operations.
Mayor Valérie Plante defended Montreal police after Premier François Legault offered to deploy Sûreté du Québec officers to help “re-establish order” following a protest that turned violent on Friday.
Plante told reporters on Wednesday she had spoken to Legault about the issue.
“I told him how competent the (Service de police de la Ville de Montréal) is when it comes to managing protests,” she said.
“And I was telling him that just in the last year, there have been more than 500 protests that the SPVM was able to manage without major incidents.”
As for Legault’s suggestion more arrests are required, Plante said she told the premier she will not engage in “political interference with the operation of the SPVM.”
The mayor also noted that the SQ was “already there Friday and Saturday, supporting our troops, so I think they’re already working well together.”
Friday’s violent protest was directed at a NATO summit at the Palais des congrès in downtown Montreal.
It was organized by two groups: Convergence des luttes anticapitalistes, which describes itself as “anti-capitalist, anti-oppressive, anti-authoritarian and anti-colonial,” and Désinvestir pour la Palestine, “a collective of citizens, activists and civil society groups engaged in the Palestinian struggle.”
Three people were arrested for allegedly assaulting police officers and obstructing police work. The SPVM has said more arrests are pending as they review video of the events and attempt to locate suspects.
On Wednesday, Montreal police reacted to an incident that occurred during a different downtown protest, this one on Sunday.
Speaking to The Gazette on Monday, Scheier said: “The only thing I am guilty of is shopping in downtown Montreal … while wearing a kippah. The policeman explained to me that he was fearful of a ‘fire starting between the two sides.’ Apparently, my presence is deemed a sufficient provocation for removal, while their hateful chants are allowed to continue.”
In a statement to The Gazette, Montreal police said it meets regularly with Scheier as part of frequent contacts with the Jewish community since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war.
“It goes without saying that we will follow up on the situation with him. We are in contact with all the parties involved. Their respective concerns are important to us and we are sparing no effort to restore their sense of security.”
The statement added: “During protests, our role is to ensure that they take place in a peaceful and orderly manner, with the safety of people and property, and in compliance with the laws and regulations in force, as well as the Canadian and Quebec charters of rights and freedoms.”
Scheir said Wednesday that police reached out to him and a meeting with the force has been scheduled.