MONTREAL – Quebec’s largest student federation and an organization opposed to police brutality have organized a rally to raise awareness of the issue of police violence in Montreal.
The Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante (ASSÉ) and the Collective Opposed to Police Brutality (C.O.B.P.) are denouncing police violence against protesters during demonstrations.
Speaking at the event are several victims of police violence, including Francis Grenier, who lost an eye during the student protests in March 2012, Maxence Valade, who also lost an eye during demonstrations in Victoriaville the same year, Anarchopanda, who was decapitated during a protest in April 2013, and former Centennial Regional High School history teacher Robert Fransham.
The 71-year-old activist is still recovering after he was allegedly hit by police during an anti-austerity protest on April 3.
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“Robert Fransham was brutally thrown from his bike by the riot cops,” rally organizers noted in a statement.
“Robert is a victim among hundreds of others, but one victim is one too many.”
Rally organizers said that Montreal police blamed the protesters for the accident, citing a response from authorities posted on Twitter on April 3.
Although police told Global News that they would not comment on the issue, as the incident is under investigation, they did respond to the issue on social media:
The rally is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesday evening, at the corner of St. Catherine Street and St. Urbain.
Organizers are particularly concerned about what they describe as increasing police brutality.
“It is completely unacceptable to let the SPVM establish a police state and a climate of fear in our gatherings!”
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