The simmering anger and outright rage smouldering across North America following last weekend’s massacre at the Orlando, Fla. club frequented by the LBBT community found its way to Quebec on Thursday.
The province’s premier, Philippe Couillard, had to be rushed away by security guards after he was threatened at a vigil in Montreal to honour the 49 people who died in Orlando.
Video from the scene appeared to show a man either swinging his arm or throwing something at the premier, catching him in the upper body with a glancing blow.
Couillard remained calm and did not appear to be hurt after security officials stepped in.
Police identified the man as Esteban Torres, a transgender activist, who had addressed the crowd of several thousand earlier in the evening.
Torres was arrested by police and could face unspecified charges.
When the vigil began at 7 p.m. in Montreal’s Gay Village, an announcement that politicians were in attendance drew some boos.
Couillard turned the jeers to cheers when he addressed the gathering.
“We love each other the way we are,” he said from the podium. “Let’s be proud of that and preserve that identity.”
Earlier in the day, dozens gathered outside the National Assembly in Quebec City at a rally organized by Alliance Arc-en-ciel (The Rainbow Alliance).
“We will make ourselves visible to attest that fear has not invaded us, the community will come out stronger and that it will aways fight against homophobia,” the alliance wrote on Facebook.
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