Standoff ends as students allowed into school
Protesters block CEGEP entrance until deal reached
Student protesters reached a deal Friday with CEGEP St. Laurent officials to allow 12 students and school managers into the school after protesters blocked the entrances of the buildings in a tense standoff with police.
The students have been protesting rising tuition fees all week, but got angry when the school locked the building on Thursday night, meaning 12 students who need to attend certain classes that are part of internships could not do so, explained Jérémie Bédard-wien, a student in the protest.
About 100 students blocked the entrances starting about 4 a.m. Friday.
Police tried to escort school officials through the crowd but did not force their way through.
After talks between students and school officials, both parties signed an agreement to allow the 12 students and management of the CEGEP inside, said BédardWien, 19, who studies social sciences.
He said the student strike will continue on Monday.
CEGEP officials could not be reached for comment Friday afternoon.
The majority of the CEGEP’S 3,300 students support the student strike, Bédard-wien said. In a student assembly, 67 per cent of stu- dents in attendance voted to support the strike.
The protest came at the end of a week of rallies by students in Montreal. On Thurs- day, demonstrators caused havoc during the afternoon commute as they shut the Jacques Cartier Bridge for 50 minutes.