An anti-racism protestor throws a smoke flare into the police lines in Quebec City on Sunday.

An anti-racism protester throws a smoke flare into the police lines in Quebec City on Sunday.
Photo Credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

Anti-racist protesters cause damage

A planned peaceful march by an anti-migrant group in Quebec City turned violent on Sunday when counter-protesters began throwing objects at police.

A group  of about 200 protesting the illegal entry into Canada by thousands of asylum seekers was to hold a peaceful march to the Quebec provincial parliament buildings.   Often labelled as right-wing and racist, the group calling itself “La Meute” (loosely translated as “the pack”) insists it is not racist but merely patriotic. The group’s Facebook page however often has anti-Islamic comments.

They were to form up in a parking garage, but were quickly surrounded by a larger counter-demonstration organised by a group called Action citoyenne contre la discrimination which included members of other groups such as the  Ligue anti-fasciste anti-raciste Québec and ANTIFA,

Counter-protesters set fire to a container before pushing it towards police, while others throw bottles at the police who are blocking them from clashing with members of *La Meute* insde the parking garage.
Counter-protesters set fire to a container before pushing it towards police, while others throw bottles at the police who are blocking them from clashing with members of *La Meute* insde the parking garage. © THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

Police had moved in to prevent clashes, but the anti-racist group, many of whom were masked, began throwing objects at the police along with other acts of vandalism, including damaging a TV camera and harassing other reporters.

Members of La Meute remained inside the garage for several hours until police managed to move away the counter-protesters, after arresting veteran leftist activist Jaggi Singh for crossing police lines.

A man with a communist face-mask and holding a communist flagis shown among the group of anti-racist demonstrators, in Quebec City on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2017.
A man who has masked his face with a communist bandana and waving a communist flag, is shown among the group of anti-racist demonstrators, in Quebec City on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2017. © THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

The group protesting illegal migration then marched peacefully to the Quebec legislature where they held a silent protest before leaving.

Since July 1, almost 7,000 people, many of them Haitians, have claimed asylum after crossing into Canada illegally from the U.S.

Hours after the planned start, members of La Meute march sliently to the Quebec legislature to protest the wave of migrants crossing illegally into Canada from the U.S. before claiming asylum.
Hours after the planned start, members of La Meute march silently to the Quebec legislature to protest the wave of migrants crossing illegally into Canada from the U.S. before claiming asylum. © JACQUES BOISSINOT/THE CANADIAN PRESS

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had earlier asked Canadians to continue to have faith in the immigration system in light of the rapidly increasing number of illegal entries and asylum claims. A few hours before the planned anti-migrant protest march in Quebec City he responded to a journalists’s question about the event saying, “The small minority, angry, frustrated group of racists don’t get to define who we are as a country, don’t get to tell others who we are and don’t get to change the nature of the open, accepting values that make us who we are”.

Additional information-sources

Categories: Immigration & Refugees, International, Society
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