Student tuition- hike protest expands from the streets into the courts

MONTREAL — First the streets, now the courtrooms.

After demonstrating night after night to protest a controversial law aimed at limiting protests against tuition hikes, students and myriad other groups are carving out another battleground.

Lawyers for student federations and other groups filed legal motions on Friday against Bill 78, the provincial law adopted May 18 to crack down on the protests.

The first motion seeks to temporarily suspend sections of the law that involve public protest. It will be heard next week in Superior Court.

The second motion is to have Bill 78 declared invalid altogether, although it may take longer to reach a judge.

Bill 78 has been used sparingly by police across the province, but the groups mounting the legal challenge say it severely restricts the fundamental rights of citizens.

They call the motions ambitious but necessary.

The government argues the law preserves the rights of students to attend school.

It lays out strict regulations governing demonstrations, ordering assemblies of more than 50 people to give eight hours’ notice for details such as the protest route, the duration and the time at which the demonstration is being held.

Individuals, leaders and associations can also face hefty fines if they block entry to schools.

The student groups, labour federations and a wide range of other organizations claim the law is unconstitutional and a violation of basic rights.