Violence in Montreal had nothing to do with pro-Palestinian cause: police chief

Montreal police chief Fady Dagher makes a speech after being sworn in during a ceremony, in Montreal, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press)

Montreal's police chief says it's "impossible" for protest organizers to prevent people bent on violence from infiltrating demonstrations.

Fady Dagher says the organizers of Friday's anti-NATO protest in Montreal bear limited responsibility for the relatively small number of people who smashed windows during the demonstration.

He believes those responsible for the violence are part of an "extreme left group" that had nothing to do with pro-Palestinian protesters who attended the demonstration.

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Montreal police have arrested three people in connection with the protest, and Dagher says they plan to arrest more in the next week or two, but he says people who vandalize property rarely face more than a fine.

Dagher says there have been more than 400 demonstrations in Montreal since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, and the vast majority of them have been peaceful.

Benoît Allard, a spokesperson for a pro-Palestinian group that helped organize Friday's event, did not say who might have been responsible for the violence, but he said he understands the anger that led people to act out.

This is a developing story that will be updated. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2024.