Anti-G7 protests are already planned for this weekend in La Malbaie ahead of next week’s summit. Three more protests are planned for Quebec City beginning next Thursday evening.
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Quebec City police say they are all legal, but some people are worried it won’t take long before they get out of hand.
Police won’t say exactly how many officers will be on the ground during the G7 summit, but they say it will be in the thousands.
“We have enough manpower on the field to answer any threat so far,” said Réjean Pleau with the Quebec City Police Service.
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World leaders from the G7 countries will all meet at the Manoir Richelieu in La Malbaie next week, but many Quebec City residents fear most of the anti-G7 protests will actually happen in the capital because it’s easier to get to.
The Parti Quebecois says the National Assembly should consider closing next Friday.
“If it turns bad — and it could get pretty nasty — we want to make sure that we made the right decision,” said Pascal Bérubé. “It’s a matter of security for everyone. We want to make sure that nobody gets hurt.”
“As minister of public safety, what’s very important for me is that all the police forces that are co-ordinated ensure safety in any circumstances, whatever the decision that will be made by the National Assembly to close or not,” said Minister Martin Coiteux.
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Already some daycares and schools in the area have decided to close, but businesses are staying open.
“It’s going to be fun. I think the vibe is going to be a blast,” said Sebastien Dumais, owner of the Blender juice bar on Rue Saint-Jean.
He said he hopes the G7 brings new customers to his store but adds there’s always a risk that out-of-control protesters could damage his property.
Another manager at the J.A. Moisan grocery store near Blender said she’s not worried at all.
“I’m not worried,” she said. “I lived in Bosnia during the war. That was much worse than any kind of protest here,” said Ljiljana Ikic Jovanovic.