Huge protests in Montreal amid Nato meet, cars burnt, Netanyahu effigy set ablaze

Massive protests broke out on the streets of Montreal as anti-Israel and anti-NATO demonstrators smashed windows, clashed with police, and burned vehicles and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s effigy in the Canadian city. At least four people were arrested in connection with the violence till now.

The protests unfolded as NATO delegates convened in the city for a high-level summit.

The summit, scheduled to be held from November 22 to 25, brought together representatives from NATO member states and partners to discuss Ukraine, climate change, and the alliance’s future. The protest coincided with the second day of city-wide student-led protests in support of Palestine.

Protesters first gathered at ‰milie-Gamelin Parc downtown at 4:30 pm, according to Montreal police spokesperson Manuel Couture, The Montreal Gazette reported. They marched toward the Quartier des Spectacles, where another group joined them near Place des Arts an hour later.

By 6:10 pm, tensions reached a boiling point as protestors set fire to an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Objects, including small explosives and metal projectiles, were thrown at police officers. By 6:40 pm, shop windows were shattered near St-Urbain Street and René-Lévesque Boulevard, while two vehicles were set ablaze by the angry mob.

Police responded with chemical irritants and crowd-control tactics. At least four people were arrested on charges of assaulting police and obstructing their work. The crowd was dispersed by 7 pm.

The unrest followed Thursday’s confrontations at Concordia University, where pro-Palestinian protesters clashed with pro-Israel counter-demonstrators. Events like these are a reminder that “when the pot boils over, someone gets burned.”