Supporters and critics of motion condemning Islamophobia clash across country
MONTREAL — Tensions flared in cities across Canada on Saturday as supporters and opponents of a Parliamentary motion condemning Islamophobia clashed during duelling protests.
In Montreal, there was a heavy police presence outside city hall keeping the two sides apart as a demonstration by critics of the motion was met by an equally large counter-protest.
On one side, some protesters carried signs calling for free speech and waved the flags of right wing groups that have sprung up in Quebec recently, while their opponents hurled insults and the occasional smoke bomb from behind a police line.
At one point, the counter-protesters’ chants of “immigrants welcome” and “everyone hates fascists!” were countered from the other side by a man who called out “suppressing free speech is fascist!”