Terrorist attack to be simulated in downtown Montreal Saturday

MONTREAL – If you hear the ring of gunshots in downtown Montreal Saturday afternoon, don’t be alarmed.

Montreal police (SPVM) in partnership with the Montreal anti-terrorism committee (CAAM) are planning a simulated terrorist attack at two different downtown locations.

The first attack is set to take place at the Black Watch Armory on de Bleury Street at 12:30 p.m. and  the second near SPVM headquarters on St-Urbain Street between de Maisonneuve and Ste-Catherine Street West is planned for 12:35 p.m.

The following streets will be closed to traffic from noon to 3 p.m.:

• Saint-Urbain St. between Sherbrooke St. and Sainte-Catherine St.
• Jeanne-Mance St. between Sherbrooke St. and De Maisonneuve Blvd.
• Bleury St. between Sherbrooke St. and Président-Kennedy St.
• Ontario St. and Président-Kennedy St. between Clark St. and City Councillors street;
• De Maisonneuve Blvd.between Clark St. and Jeanne-Mance St.
• Evans St.

The operation is dubbed “Montreal 360” and is the biggest terrorist simulation to to be held in Montreal since 2005.

The goal of the exercise is to allow officers, soldiers and first responders to build on their intervention skills and test their emergency preparedness. More than 350 participants are expected to take part in the simulated attacks.

The blank firing arms used during the simulation reproduce the sound of gunfire which will make it noisy in some places but the simulation does not present any risk for the population.

An early morning simulation is also scheduled at the Longue Pointe military base in Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve.