One hundred people were arrested Monday evening at the annual anti-police brutality march, an event marred by the usual violence, property damage and clashes with riot squads.

There were no injuries and fewer arrests than last year.

The protestors gathered outside the Pie-IX metro station Monday at 5 p.m., and moved south on Pie IV Blvd. They sang and played instruments, many carrying placards that read "No justice, no peace," and "F--- the police." Some threw food at police officers.

People were arrested after police searched their backpacks and found them carrying items including steel bars and what appeared to be Molotov cocktails.

"As soon as there are criminal acts as soon as there's something wrong we have to intervene and proceed to arrests or dispersion of those people," said Montreal police Chief Insp. Sylvain Lemay.

Police also say protesters launched firecrackers toward police, as officers attempted to contain the crowd near Prefontaine metro station.

Most of those arrested received tickets for bylaw infractions but 17 people will face criminal charges.

Police would not confirm how many officers were on hand to control the crowd, but say they had sufficient security.

Unnecessary force?

Some protestors claimed police roughed up marchers, often without cause.

"Police were dressed in combat uniform and committed illegal searches. The police proceeded to intimidate (protestors) in front of the metro," said marcher Sophie Senecal.

A woman by the name of Andreanne said she was placed in handcuffs and arrested for no reason.

Police deny the claims.

"The only thing we try to do is to avoid those criminal acts, to avoid that disorder, and we don't try to help people make criminal act," said Montreal police Chief Yvan Delorme.

Organizers aren't preventing violence: police

Earlier in the day, Montreal police blasted march organizers, saying they aren't doing enough to prevent the violence that has become an annual occurrence.

"I've got more than 1,000 protests a year," Sgt. Ian Lafreniere told ctvmontreal.ca. "Ninety-nine per cent of the protests are fine, there's only one causing problems, which is normally this one."

221 arrests last year

Last year, some parade participants pelted police with projectiles, torched trash cans and vandalized police and civilian cars. Police arrested 221 people.

Organizers say they don't encourage violence, but they add that they can't guarantee people in the march won't become violent.

Lafreniere says the argument is nonsense.

"So that means that all the other ones organizing protests are stupid?" he asked. "You know what? I have a tendency to believe the opposite. Everyone else is taking every measure to make sure nothing criminal happens."

Early message?

It's not clear if anti-police sentiment fueled vandals who targeted the traffic division on Saturday evening.

Eleven patrol cars were heavily damaged and the police station itself was attacked.

Lafreniere says police still have no leads.