Downtown Montreal had a very different feel Friday afternoon as some store owners on Ste-Catherine Street started boarding up their businesses after receiving a notice from police.
A large demonstration denouncing police impunity and anti-Black racism in light of the death of George Floyd is scheduled to take place on Sunday in the city.
Floyd, a Black man, died in Minneapolis on May 25, after a police officer knelt on his neck as Floyd pleaded for air.
A similar protest was held in Montreal last Sunday.
And while the march was peaceful, the evening ended with looters breaking windows in several stores.
Police say they have no information of planned violence regarding the upcoming protest, but warn it’s best to be prepared.
“Last weekend was a very good example of that,” said Montreal police spokesperson André Durocher.
“We saw that everybody, or the vast majority of people, were marching peacefully, but again it’s a little handful that take advantage of the situation and try to disrupt events.”
Police say it is common practice for the force to send out notices warning merchants of potential marches and protests.
Durocher says the SPVM (Montreal police) has been doing it for a few years now.
“The SPVM has to make sure everyone has a right to protest on one hand, but on the other, we also have a duty to make sure merchants are aware of it so that they may take certain measures that are suggested to them,” he said.
Durocher explained the force provides a list of measures that can be put in place, but stressed they are not imposed on merchants.
“Some merchants decide for example to stay closed, some will decide to put up different types of barricades and some will put extra employees,” he said.
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As to why the downtown core appears to be all boarded up, Durocher speculated that last weekend’s looting was likely still top of mind for many merchants.
“The images of last weekend are still fresh in the minds of people, so maybe that’s what has this effect,” he said.
“I can understand them, but it doesn’t mean it is going to be that way and we hope it’s not going to be that way.”
The peaceful rally is planned for Sunday morning and starts at Place Émilie-Gamelin.
— With files from Global’s Gloria Henriquez
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