Updated: Plante decries ‘unacceptable’ vandalism during pro-Palestinian protest

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Mayor Valérie Plante has slammed the “unacceptable” vandalism that occurred during a pro-Palestinian protest in Montreal on Sunday in which demonstrators smashed windows at Concordia University and luxury stores and launched Molotov cocktails at police.

The demonstration, which began around 9:15 p.m., involved some 60 protesters, according to police spokesperson Jean-Pierre Brabant. The protesters marched down Maisonneuve Blvd. and de la Montagne St., breaking windows along the way, including several at Concordia University and high-end storefronts such as Dior, Chanel and Louis Vuitton.

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“Many windows were broken on de la Montagne between Ste-Catherine and Maisonneuve, and graffiti was made on some businesses,” including the university, Brabant said.

“When officers were chasing some protesters, two Molotov cocktails were thrown in the direction of police. They didn’t hit them. They didn’t insult anyone.”

Four individuals, all in their 20s, were arrested for criminal mischief, Brabant said, and have been released pending further investigation. Authorities are reviewing security footage to identify those responsible for the vandalism and throwing the incendiary devices.

Plante took to X to describe the protest as “unacceptable.”

“The SPVM made the arrests. This will not be tolerated,” she wrote in French.

Adding, “Demonstrate, yes. Destroying property, injuring others and harming the physical integrity of our peace officers, no.”

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The protest follows an incident last week in which three individuals were detained after clashes between police and protesters near the Guy-Concordia métro station.

On Monday, Graham Carr, Concordia University’s president, wrote to the campus community, stating that the university is still evaluating the situation but that he is “extremely concerned about the violent escalation of recent protests.”

“Behaviour that contributes to a climate of intimidation cannot be tolerated, and the university will seek to sanction members of the community who engage in such activities,” he added.

A spokesperson for the university confirmed there were no injuries and that an investigation is ongoing.

After the vandalism unfolded Sunday night, images circulated on social media, with the Instagram account Clash MTL appearing to endorse the protest, sharing photos of the destruction.

Concordia students arrived Monday morning to find damage at the Henry F. Hall Building, with yellow “danger” tape cording off the affected areas. Students who spoke to The Gazette said they were unaware of the damage until arriving but noted it did not affect their studies.

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Employees of the luxury brands targeted did not comment on the incident.

The Federation CJA and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs issued a joint statement, calling the vandalism “another disturbing example of the anarchy that has plagued Montreal campuses for far too long.”

The incident is part of a broader wave of tensions that have been building on Montreal campuses over the past year, fuelled by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Tensions first escalated following Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which Israel says killed more than 1,200 people and 251 hostages were taken. Israel’s military response has since killed more than 41,000 people in Gaza, according to Hamas’s health authorities. The conflict has now spilled into Lebanon, between Israel and Hezbollah.

As the anniversary of the Hamas attack nears next week, pro-Palestinian groups are reportedly planning a “week of rage,” organizing further demonstrations against Israel’s ongoing military operations.

Brabant said police would be present at upcoming protests, as usual, to ensure public safety and that they would intervene in cases of criminal activity.

hnorth@postmedia.com

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