A protest against Israel turned violent on Friday night in downtown Montreal, leaving a trail of destruction as cars were set ablaze, shop windows smashed, and an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu burned in the street.

The demonstration began peacefully around 4:30 p.m. at Émilie-Gamelin Parc but quickly descended into chaos as protesters hurled small explosive devices and metal objects at police. Armed with hammers and planks of wood, some protesters vandalized storefronts while others ignited red smoke bombs to create a scene of anarchy.

The violence escalated as demonstrators paraded through the city waving Palestinian flags and chanting slogans. Tensions reached their peak when an effigy of Netanyahu was set alight, drawing widespread condemnation. Riot police confronted the protesters on St-Laurent Boulevard, deploying tear gas and crowd-control tactics to disperse the crowd.

Montreal police reported three arrests for assaults on officers and obstruction of police work. Footage of the unrest, widely shared on social media, captured scenes of destruction as protesters clashed with law enforcement.

The protest coincided with a NATO summit in Montreal, where global delegates were discussing issues such as the war in Ukraine and the alliance’s future. The timing also followed the International Criminal Court (ICC) issuing arrest warrants for Netanyahu, former Israeli defense chief Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leaders, accusing them of war crimes in the Gaza conflict.

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was attending a concert in Toronto during the unrest, faced criticism for his absence. Quebec Senator Leo Housakos expressed outrage over Trudeau’s indifference, writing, “While Justin Trudeau is partying it up in Toronto, I was meeting with members of Montreal’s Jewish community. Meanwhile, our city is in chaos. Hope you had fun at the concert, though, Justin.”

The violence followed a week of mounting tensions in Montreal, including confrontations at Concordia University between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel demonstrators.

Trudeau’s earlier comments supporting compliance with the ICC’s arrest warrant against Netanyahu also drew criticism from Israel and Canadian Jewish leaders. Israel’s ambassador to Canada, Iddo Moed, denounced the ICC decision as undermining Israel’s right to self-defense, calling on the Canadian government to reject the ruling.

On social media, Trudeau wrote: “What we saw on the streets of Montreal last night was appalling. Acts of antisemitism, intimidation, and violence must be condemned wherever we see them. The RCMP are in communication with local police. There must be consequences, and rioters held accountable.”

To this, opposition leader Pierre Poilievre responded: “You act surprised. We are reaping what you sowed. This is what happens when a Prime Minister spends 9 years pushing toxic woke identity politics, dividing and subdividing people by race, gender, vaccine status, religion, region, age, wealth, etc. On top of driving people apart, you systematically break what used to bring us together, saying Canada is a “post-national state” with “no core identity.” You erased our veterans and military, the Famous Five and even Terry Fox from our passport to replace them with meaningless squirrels, snowflakes and a drawing of yourself swimming as a boy. You opened the borders to terrorists and lawbreakers and called anyone who questioned it racist. You send out your MPs to say one thing in a mosque and the opposite in a synagogue, one thing in a mandir and the opposite in a gurdwara. You have made Canada a playground for foreign interference. You allowed Iran’s IRGC terrorists to legally operate here for four years after they murdered 55 of our citizens in a major unprovoked attack. You passed laws that release rampant offenders from prison within hours of their 80th arrest. And what is the result? Assassinations on Canadian soil, firebombings of synagogues, extremist violence against mandirs and gurdwaras, over 100 churches burned or vandalized (with barely any condemnation from you), all for a total 251% more hate crime. And, while you were dancing, Montreal was burning. We won’t let you divide us anymore. Call an election now. We will fire you and reclaim our citizenship, our values, our lives, our freedom and, most of all, our country.”

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