Anti-NATO protesters gathered in Montreal on Saturday to demand Canada withdraw from the alliance, a day after a demonstration organized by different groups resulted in arrests, burned cars, and shattered windows.
About 80 people attended Saturday’s anti-NATO protest in the city’s downtown area, organized by Le Mouvement Québécois pour la Paix, holding signs that read "Canada out of NATO" and chanting "solidarity with Palestine." Several in attendance held Communist Party of Canada flags while others held Palestinian flags.
Jad Kabbanji, president of Le Mouvement Québécois pour la Paix, said Canada should refuse to meet NATO military spending targets. He also said that despite calling itself a defensive alliance, NATO has destabilized multiple regions across the globe and created military conflicts, notably in the Middle East and eastern Europe.
Kabbanji said Israel’s military campaign in Gaza would not be possible without the arms provided by NATO members like the United States, and that a policy of increasingly accepting countries that were formerly part of the Soviet Union "pushed Russia to invade Ukraine."
On Saturday afternoon, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called Friday’s scenes "appalling." "Acts of antisemitism, intimidation, and violence must be condemned wherever we see them," he said. "There must be consequences, and rioters held accountable."
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre accused the prime minister of being "too busy to condemn a violent Hamas takeover of our streets."
Police said protestors deployed smoke bombs, threw metal barriers into the street, and smashed windows of businesses and at the convention centre where NATO delegates have been meeting. Police spokesperson Véronique Dubuc said officers arrested three people for assaulting an officer and "impeding police work," following a demonstration that began late afternoon Friday. She said a civilian and an officer suffered minor injuries.
Friday’s 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 that "it’s enforcing illegal occupation of Palestinian territories."
However, Divest for Palestine’s Allard rejected accusations of anti-Semitism. He said the protests were against the actions of the state of Israel and not Jewish people, adding 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 Netanyahu committed "the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare; and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts."
Greg Beaune, the group’s vice-president, said the group condemns Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but added NATO has helped provoke conflict in the region. Group member Rana El Gharbie said she does not support violent protest but added that Canadians are becoming increasingly frustrated by Canada’s support for Israel and "lack of action" in protecting Palestinians.
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.
Conclusion
The anti-NATO protests in Montreal highlight the growing tensions between Canada and its allies, as well as the increasing frustration among Canadians with the country’s support for Israel and its role in the Middle East conflict.
FAQs
Q: What was the purpose of the anti-NATO protest in Montreal?
A: The protest was organized by Le Mouvement Québécois pour la Paix and aimed to demand Canada withdraw from the alliance and condemn NATO’s "complicity with Israel’s military."
Q: What were the allegations made against the protesters?
A: Some politicians, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, accused the protesters of engaging in anti-Semitic behavior and violence.
Q: What was the response of the police?
A: Police arrested three people for assaulting an officer and "impeding police work" and reported minor injuries to a civilian and an officer.
Q: What is the stance of the protesters on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
A: The protesters, including members of Divest for Palestine, condemned Israel’s military actions in Gaza and the occupation of Palestinian territories, and called for Canada to take a more active role in protecting Palestinians.
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