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警方稱，蒙特利爾反北約抗議活動爆發，引發火災、窗戶被砸碎、多人被捕
加拿大新聞社 2024 年 11 月 23 日
聯邦內閣部長譴責周五在蒙特利爾爆發的反北約抗議活動，稱抗議活動“充滿仇恨和反猶太主義”，但抗議者否認這一說法，稱他們抗議北約成員國在戰爭中“同謀”，這場戰爭已造成數千名巴勒斯坦人死亡。
警方表示，他們在周五下午晚些時候開始的一場示威活動中逮捕了三人，示威活動包括兩輛汽車起火，一些企業的窗戶被砸碎。
砸碎了位於聖於爾班的加拿大帝國商業銀行 (CIBC) 的窗戶 (Alan Sukonnik，CityNews)
下午 6 點，約 600 名抗議者聚集在藝術廣場，到下午 6:30，一名蒙麵抗議者砸碎了位於聖於爾班的加拿大帝國商業銀行 (CIBC) 的窗戶，隨後其他人也砸碎了更多窗戶。
蒙特利爾警方發出警告，但隨著人群部分散去，暴力事件仍在繼續。當抗議者到達北約會議舉辦地議會大廈時，他們噴灑油漆並砸碎窗戶。
兩輛停放的汽車也被點燃。警方使用刺激性氣體驅散人群。三人因襲擊警察和妨礙公務而被捕。示威活動於晚上 8 點左右結束。
總理賈斯汀·特魯多第二天早上在推特上做出回應，寫道：
他們說，他們逮捕了一名 22 歲的女性，罪名是妨礙警察工作和襲擊警察，以及兩名分別為 22 歲和 28 歲的男子，罪名是妨礙警察工作。三人均被釋放，並將於稍後出庭。
蒙特利爾警方表示，在遊行期間，有人投放了煙霧彈，有人將金屬護欄扔到街上，企業和會議中心的窗戶被砸碎。
北約抗議活動餘波。（Alan Sukonnik，CityNews）
抗議活動由“為巴勒斯坦撤資”和“反資本主義鬥爭聯盟”組織。
“為巴勒斯坦撤資”成員 Benoît Allard 表示，他和其他幾名抗議者被警察打傷，至少有四名抗議者不得不去醫院。
他說，抗議的目的是抗議北約“與以色列軍隊合謀在加沙進行種族滅絕、在黎巴嫩和敘利亞犯下戰爭罪行”以及“非法占領巴勒斯坦領土”。
外交部長梅拉尼·若利和國防部長比爾·布萊爾周六上午在哈利法克斯國際安全論壇上對記者表示，抗議者的行為是不可接受的。
“我們看到的不是和平抗議。我們看到的實際上是暴力、仇恨和反猶太主義，這些不應該出現在我們的街道上，”若利說。
“當然，我們相信言論自由，我們相信示威自由，但我們的底線是當有暴力時。”
布萊爾補充說，這次示威“根本不像合法、和平的抗議”。相反，他稱這些示威是“暴徒”的“無政府主義”行為。
“蒙特利爾市展現的是暴力和仇恨，”布萊爾說。
“這些行為是不可接受的，我們可以用最強烈的措辭譴責它們，特別是展現出來的仇恨和反猶太主義。”
然而，阿拉德否認了反猶太主義的指控。他說抗議活動是針對以色列國的行為，而不是猶太人的行為，並補充說，本周早些時候國際刑事法院對以色列總理本雅明內塔尼亞胡發出了逮捕令。
周四，法院在一份新聞稿中表示，有合理理由相信內塔尼亞胡犯下了“以饑餓作為戰爭手段的戰爭罪；以及謀殺、迫害和其他不人道行為的反人類罪。”
本周末，北約成員國和夥伴國家的代表將齊聚蒙特利爾，討論包括支持烏克蘭、氣候變化和聯盟未來等問題。
警方發言人 Manuel Couture 表示，示威者於晚上 7 點左右完全散去。
周六和周日，蒙特利爾計劃舉行更多反北約抗議活動。周六的活動由魁北克和平運動組織。該組織在其網站上表示，它為和平而戰，反對帝國主義，並表示北約助長了全球衝突。
— 來自多倫多的 Sammy Hudes 的文件。
— 來自蒙特利爾的 Erin Seize 的文件。
加拿大新聞社的這份報告於 2024 年 11 月 23 日首次發布。
Anti-NATO protest in Montreal erupts in fires, smashed windows, arrests, say police
By The Canadian Press November 23, 2024
Federal cabinet ministers condemned an anti-NATO protest in Montreal that turned violent on Friday, saying “hatred and antisemitism” were on display, but protesters deny the claim, saying they demonstrated against the “complicity” of NATO member countries in a war that has killed thousands of Palestinians.
Police said they arrested three people following a demonstration that began late afternoon Friday, which included two car fires and left some businesses with smashed windows.
Smashed a CIBC window on Saint-Urbain ( Alan Sukonnik, CityNews)
Around 600 protestors gathered at Place des Arts at 6 PM and by 6:30 PM a masked protester smashed a CIBC window on Saint-Urbain, followed by others breaking more windows.
The Montreal police issued warnings, but violence continued as the crowd partially dispersed. When the protesters reached the Palais des congres, where the NATO meeting was being held, they sprayed paint and smashed windows.
Two parked cars were also set ablaze. Police deployed irritant gas to disperse the crowd. Three individuals were arrested for assaulting officers and obstruction. The demonstration ended around 8 p.m.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reacted on Twitter the following morning by writing:
They said they arrested a 22-year-old woman for obstructing police work and assaulting a police officer, as well as two men, 22 and 28, both for obstructing police work. All three were released and will appear in court at a later date.
Montreal police said that during the march, smoke bombs were deployed, metal barriers were thrown into the street and windows of businesses and at the convention centre were smashed.
Aftermath of NATO protest. (Alan Sukonnik, CityNews)
The protest was organized by the groups Divest for Palestine and the Convergence of Anti-Capitalist Struggles.
Benoît Allard, a member of Divest for Palestine, said he and several other protesters were injured by police and at least four protesters had to go to hospital.
He said the purpose of the protest was to demonstrate against what he called NATO’s “complicity with Israel’s military while it’s conducting its genocide in Gaza, … war crimes in Lebanon, Syria” and “it’s enforcing illegal occupation of Palestinian territories.”
Speaking to reporters at the Halifax International Security Forum on Saturday morning, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly and Defence Minister Bill Blair said the actions of the protesters were unacceptable.
“What we saw was not peaceful protest. What we saw was actually violence, hate and antisemitism, and this has no place on our streets,” Joly said.
“Of course, we believe in the freedom of speech, we believe in the freedom to demonstrate, but where we draw the line is when there’s violence.”
Blair added the demonstration “was nothing like lawful, peaceful protests.” Instead, he called the demonstrations an act of “anarchy” by a “mob.”
“It was engagement in violence and hatred on display in the City of Montreal,” Blair said.
“Those behaviours are unacceptable and we can condemn them, and in particular the hatred and antisemitism that was on display, in the strongest possible terms.”
However, Allard rejected accusations of antisemitism. He said the protests were against the actions of the state of Israel and not Jewish people and added that earlier this week the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
On Thursday, the court said in a news release that there were reasonable grounds to believe that Netanyahu committed “the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare; and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.”
Delegates from NATO member states and partner countries are in Montreal this weekend to discuss issues including support for Ukraine, climate change and the future of the alliance.
Police spokesperson Manuel Couture said the demonstrators were completely dispersed at around 7 p.m.
More anti-NATO protests are planned for Saturday and Sunday in Montreal. Saturday’s event is organized by Mouvement Québécois pour la paix. On its website, the group says it fights for peace and against imperialism, and says that NATO has contributed to global conflicts.
— With files from Sammy Hudes in Toronto.
— With files from Erin Seize in Montreal.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 23, 2024.
