At least 17 people have been arrested in Montreal for attending anti-curfew protests on Saturday, Global News reports.
People are being arrested in Montreal for walking down the street. https://t.co/jbyd0gcJTH
— Anthony Furey (@anthonyfurey) January 10, 2021
Quebec Premier Francois Legault implemented a curfew between 8:00 pm and 5:00 am in response to skyrocketing cases of coronavirus in the province. The province already restricted gatherings but in the face of citizens ignoring the restrictions, the Quebec government felt a curfew, in the words of Legault, would prevent "even the smallest" of gatherings. Exceptions have been made for people walking their dogs, essential workers, and a few other purposes.
"It’s the sum of all these little infringements of the rules that feed the virus," Legault said in a social media post.
Many citizens, however, are opposed to the curfew and have taken to the streets to express their opposition. A small group of protesters gathered in Montreal's Plateau district to protest against what they view as an infringement on their rights.
8pm has come and gone. Anti-curfew protestors are marching around the Plateau with a huge convoy of cops in tow. #Montreal #manifencours #covid19 pic.twitter.com/LBBVKuLczw
— Dan Spector (@danspector) January 10, 2021
"I think it’s abuse of power. People need to put their foot down," one protester argued.
The protest began before the curfew started and lasted past 8:00 pm. The protesters were followed by police as they chanted and banged pots to bring attention to themselves and their cause. By 8:15 pm, police began making arrests and handing out fines.
According to Montreal police, a total of 17 fines were handed out to protesters in Montreal.
Arrests were also made the same night in Quebec City, where over $1,500 in fines were given out to 20 protesters who resisted curfew.
The provincewide curfew began on Saturday and is expected to last until Feb 8.
Join and support independent free thinkers!
We’re independent and can’t be cancelled. The establishment media is increasingly dedicated to divisive cancel culture, corporate wokeism, and political correctness, all while covering up corruption from the corridors of power. The need for fact-based journalism and thoughtful analysis has never been greater. When you support The Post Millennial, you support freedom of the press at a time when it's under direct attack. Join the ranks of independent, free thinkers by supporting us today for as little as $1.
Remind me next month
To find out what personal data we collect and how we use it, please visit our Privacy Policy
