Just one week after a white supremacist protest erupted in violence that injured several people and took a womans life in Charlottesville, Va., the far-right group La Meute and counter-protesters clashed in Quebec City on Sunday.
La Meute, a group that claims to be against radical Islam and lenient immigration policy, gathered in a parking garage near the National Assembly building to protest against the policies of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Philippe Couillard in the face of the scourge of illegal immigration.
At least one of La Meutes members was identified among the white supremacist protesters in footage from a VICE News documentary from Charlottesville.
La Meute members met at 1 p.m., but before they could step outside to demonstrate, close to 300 counter-protesters gathered outside the parking garage. By 3 p.m., La Meute still remained indoors.
Participants in the counter-protests, organized by a group called Citizen Action Against Discrimination as well as the Ligue anti-fasciste anti-raciste Québec, continued chanting outside.
Some of the counter-protesters began throwing bricks at a man named Éric Roy, who carrying a Patriotes and a Quebec flag. When Roy turned around to confront them, he was tackled to the ground and hit his head on a pole. It is unclear whether he sympathized with either side.
Soon, the counter-protesters moved to the corner of Jacques-Parizeau and dArtigny Sts. After shooting at least three coloured smoke bombs at a line of police one of which hit an officers helmet Quebec City police announced that the protest had been deemed illegal. Counter-protesters headed south along Jacques-Parizeau St. and dispersed after throwing fireworks and a flare at police.
A trash bin on wheels was set on fire and pushed towards a police line on dArtigny St. Three photographers were aggressed by counter-protesters while trying to take a photo of the smoking dumpster.
The group of anti-fascist protesters then returned to the exit of La Meutes parking lot headquarters. When some of the far-right groups members emerged to speak with the media, the counter-protesters taunted them. La Meute members, including spokesperson Sylvain Brouillette, remained silent and did not acknowledge the counter-protesters.
Just before 4 p.m., activist and counter-protester Jaggi Singh was arrested outside the parking garage on Grande Allée where most La Meute members remained inside. The counter-protesters grew agitated and moved toward police, who released a dispersive gas and pepper-sprayed one masked counter-protester.
Quebec police announced again that the protest had been deemed illegal, and by 4:30 p.m., counter-protesters were forced to leave the area. While La Meute members remained inside the parking garage, counter-protesters were led onto Louis-Alexandre Taschereau St. by Quebec police.
Sûreté du Québec officers in riot gear stood waiting on the corner of René-Lévesque Blvd. and Honoré-Mercier Ave. Counter-protesters, many of whom had been pepper sprayed, marched down René-Lévesque St.
