15 photos and videos of Montreal's police brutality and BLM protest yesterday

On June 7, a peaceful march against police brutality took place in Montreal which brought together thousands upon thousands of Montrealers to walk through downtown. Brought together by as many as seven different organizations in the city, protestors began to gather in Place Émilie-Gamelin by the Berri-UQAM metro station at 10am and began to march at 11am until 1pm, ending in Dorchester Square at the corner of Peel Street and René-Lévesque Boulevard West.

As of today, Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante gave a conference in which she said she has been discussing how public funds are distributed to law enforcements, according to a report by the CBC. "This is a big, big conversation," Plante said. "I think at this point there are a lot of good ideas coming." However, activists and experts are continuing to push for having the size of the police force reduced, its funding diminished or a combination thereof.

This gathering on Sunday has Montreal gathering cities and towns around the world, all to proclaim the same message: Black Lives Matter. In addition to chants and slogans, the crowds took a knee at the end of the protest in a sign of solidarity, with organizers encouraging participants stay in touch and continue concentrated action.

While businesses in the downtown district covered their windows and doors in plywood as a precaution against looters—as was a problem that arose from groups that splintered off from the protests over the weekend of May 30—the protest on June 7 was peaceful. Police presence was still present, however.

The march follows last week’s gathering in Montreal, all in solidarity the ongoing protests in the United States against racism and police violence which were sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of a white police officer. Those who attended the rally were encouraged to practice social distancing, wear a mask and use sanitizer while attending the event.

It remains uncertain whether protests will continue in Montreal, but they continue to be present in cities around the world; it follows that the city can expect more gathering like these to come.

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