Quebec City police would not confirm the MNA for Mercier district, which includes Montreal’s Plateau Mont Royal area, was among those handcuffed and arrested in a mass arrest in the provincial capital. But TV news images showed him being escorted away by police.
Quebec City police Constable Marie-Ēve Painchaud said 65 people were arrested on the Côte de la Montagne at about 10 p.m. for blocking traffic. She would not confirm any of the names of those arrested. She said there were 67 tickets issued to the group of 65. One of those arrested was also ticketed for verbally insulting a police officer.
Several photos of Khadir being detained were also seen on social media websites. Painchaud said those arrested were part of an illegal assembly as they had not provided police with their route before the march and they were blocking traffic, she said.
“We gave them many, many, many warnings,” Painchaud said. “They were walking all over the place. It was nearly impossible to guarantee people’s safety.”
The protesters were fined $494 and all of them were to be released Tuesday night, she added.
On Khadir’s Facebook page, one of his aides confirmed he was arrested, ticketed and released. She said: “Amir was coming out of the National Assembly and he heard the sound of the pots and pans. He went to join the protesters. When the march moved forward he decided to walk with them.
“People were walking calmly to the beat of the pots and pans. The police rounded up the protesters in a kettle and handcuffed them and made them board a bus.
Khadir "says that what he was doing this evening in Quebec City is what he does in Montreal every night when he can, in other words marching peacefully with other protesters. He notes that the freedom to protest is really restricted in Quebec City.
"He finds it regrettable that everyone was handcuffed for a road safety violation despite the fact that everyone was being led calmly by police officers. It was not necessary."
In Montreal, the local protest drew a few hundred participants. Four people were given tickets for municipal bylaw infractions.
Original Article
Source: canada.com
Author: Max Harrold
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