City council votes to maintain P-6 bylaw
Protesters stage sit-in to block doors after vote
“We don’t want to live the nightmare of last year. Hundreds of citizens and merchants paid a heavy price.” MONTREAL NORTH MAYOR GILLES DEGUIRE
Despite heated debate and the presence of angry protesters, Montreal city hall voted Tuesday night to maintain bylaw P-6 and keep its controversial provisions, including outlawing masks and requiring that demonstrators provide an itinerary of their marches.
After a day of debate on a motion by Projet Montréal Coun. Alexander Norris to repeal the bylaw’s contentious provisions, council voted 34 to 25 in favour of the status quo.
More than 30 protesters blew noisemakers, banged chairs and tables outside the council chamber in response to the vote. A handful wore balaclavas covering their faces. They then staged a sit-in in front of the council chamber’s main entrance under the watchful eyes of security guards.
The bylaw, amended last year following massive student protests, has been the focus of a growing protest movement since police began applying it in March. Police have arrested more than 800 demonstrators, fining them $637 each over the course of four marches.
Mayor Michael Applebaum, speaking in defence of P-6, said police enforced the bylaw “with discernment.”
“I have a lot of respect for the police, who must assure the security of the people,” Applebaum said, as demonstrators booed him outside the council chamber.
Gilles Deguire, borough mayor of Montreal North, was also jeered as he argued democracy gave way to intimidation during last spring’s night student marches. “We don’t want to live the nightmare of last year. Hun- dreds of citizens and merchants paid a heavy price for the protests. … Montrealers were effectively held hostage.”
However, Réal Ménard, borough mayor for Mercier– Hochelaga–Maisonneuve, denounced the bylaw for imposing what he described as an onerous obligation to submit an itinerary to authorities.
“For me, democracy is the right to demonstrate spon- taneously,” Ménard said to cheers from the protesters.
Alain Creton, owner of the Chez Alexandre restaurant on Peel St. and president of the Peel St. Merchants Association, argued Tuesday afternoon that the bylaw had to be maintained for the good of downtown businesses and Montreal’s inter national image. Television footage of “two idiots breaking a bank window” broadcast worldwide gave the impression the city is besieged by thousands of violent protesters, even if the vast majority were peaceful.
Initially a supporter of the peaceful mass marches, “now everyone demonstrates for everything and nothing,” Creton said. “We suffered large losses during all the festivals and events of the summer of 2012, we don’t want to go through it again in 2013.”
On Monday, Applebaum said regardless of the vote in council, changes to bylaws are ultimately the responsibility of the city’s main decision making body, the executive committee, which is composed of 11 city councillors and the mayor. City clerk Yves Saindon confirmed this was correct under the city charter.
Norris addressed the protesters after the vote, urging them not to give up hope. He noted that when he first raised the idea of repealing P-6, only his party, Projet Montréal, was behind him, and ultimately, he was able to double the support for his motion on council.