MONTREAL – Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard was whisked away by police after an altercation during a vigil in memory of the Orlando shooting victims..
Thousands of people gathered in Montreal Thursday night for the vigil, which started peacefully but took an unexpected turn after about an hour an a half.
Videos circulating on social media show a participant in the event, seemingly assaulting Couillard, near the end of the vigil.
The Sûreté du Québec, who are handling the investigation, say the man seems to have thrown some kind of object at Couillard.
He was quickly detained.
Police say the premier was not injured and the incident is under investigation with the SQ’s Major Crime Unit.
The motive of the attack or the nature of the charges the individual could face is not yet known.
The vigil, organized by Montreal Pride and Collectif Carré Rose began at 7 p.m. ET at Parc de L’Espoir, in the Gay Village.
ONGOING COVERAGE: Orlando Shooting
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President Barack Obama arrives in Orlando to meet with victims’ families -
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Editor’s note: A previous version of this article stated that the suspect was an event organizer. The event was organized by Montreal Pride and the Collectif Carré Rose who have no affiliation with the man in question.
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