'Restore order!' Côte-Saint-Luc mayor calls on Montreal to address safety at protests

Cote-St-Luc mayor calling out MTL mayor Cote-Saint-Luc Mayor Mitchell Brownstein is calling on Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante to bring order back to the streets.

The mayor of Cote-Saint-Luc is calling on Mayor Valerie Plante to restore order in Montreal, saying that police have allowed the “normalization of antisemitism” when it comes to pro-Palestinian protests.

“Is violence and intimidation the new normal? Or can Mayor Plante turn things around and give the police her full support so that they can restore order?” Mayor Mitchell Brownstein said in a video posted to social media.

Brownstein added that the current policing strategy regarding protests is to “avoid conflict” and emphasized that not only has failed but it is allowing demonstrations to descend into chaos.

“The strategy tolerates certain illegal behaviours such as blocking a street or graffiti on cars and buildings. Or occupying university areas. It even tolerates protesters who violate a court injunction requiring them to keep a distance from Jewish institution,” Brownstein said.

Moreover, he said that Cote-Saint-Luc will support efforts to reinstate anti-masking laws to prevent protesters from hiding their faces and called on police to start wearing body cameras to help identify and arrest individuals engaging in hate speech.