Politic?

Which Group Are The Thugs?

"Their world doesn't interest us. They say they are non-violent. Let them tell us who they are. What they want, and take away all ambiguity from their message."
"Why do they have to look like a private militia?"
"La Meute didn't cause violence [at their Sunday demonstration in Quebec City] but what was their friend doing in Charlottesville?"
"[Still, I] thank [them] for collaborating with police [they] won the popularity contest on Sunday."
Quebec City Mayor Regis Labeaume

"We are disgusted and outraged by today’s unprovoked attack on a Global News crew covering demonstrations in Quebec City. While we are relieved that our journalists were not seriously hurt, Canadians should be concerned by this threat against the working of a free press. Our team was there to provide independent coverage and transparency as events unfolded – a goal clearly not shared by the thugs who shielded their identities in the commission of violence."
Global News’ senior vice-president Troy Reeb

**Demonstrators of a right wing group, “La Meute” walk in silence to the legislature, Sunday in**
**Quebec City. Jacques Boissinot / THE CANADIAN PRESS**

They are named as a far-right group, calling themselves La Meute, and they planned a demonstration to take place in Quebec City on Sunday. They obtained the requisite permit and set about to do just that. This demonstration was launched to protest the actions and reactions of both the federal and provincial government "in the face of the scourge of illegal immigration". Their protest was meant to emphasize their dissatisfaction with the welcome that illegals living in the United States crossing into Canada at informal border areas, bypassing formal routes are given by authorities.

It is telling that the group considers itself to represent nationalist pride, and they deny the label of "racist" that anti-fascists paint them with. What they want to see put into place is firmer border control to ensure that asylum seekers go the prescribed formal route to declaring themselves refugees at official border crossings. (The illegal crossings have swamped the capacity of authorities to maintain order and momentum in processing.) Their duly licensed protested was postponed for five hours behind the National Assembly in Quebec City, since they were effectively 'trapped' in a parking garage awaiting the dispersal of a gathering that materialized as anti-racists, responding to their planned protest.

Protesters launched a counter-protest to the original protest they would not allow to even commence. The original protest was comprised of 200 members of the Le Meute group; the counter-protestors who had procured no license to make their protest legal were represented by 300 people, organized by a group calling themselves Actio citoyenne contre la discrimination, folding in others such as the Ligue anti-fascists, anti-raciste Quebec and Antifa.

Still from video; anti-racists assaulting police...Global News

Gathering outside the parking garage entrance where the La Meute protesters had assembled, they chanted slogans such as "no one likes racists", and "anti, anti, anti-fascist". Many in that group had covered their faces with bandanas and were wearing sunglasses for anonymity. Some among them threw bricks at a man carrying a Patriotes and a Quebec flag. Attempting to confront his tormentors, they tackled him to the ground. Smoking flares were aimed by the anti-fascists at a line of police officers.

The illegal counter-demonstrators threw fireworks and a flare at police. A dumpster was set on fire and pushed on its wheels toward a police line. Masked anti-fascists were seen to assault the media, with one cameraman's camera damaged when his camera was taken from him and tossed on the ground. Police finally pepper-sprayed many of the counter-protesters, forcibly removing them.

All the while police had asked La Meute through its leader, to remain patient and await an opportunity when the counter-protest was cleared away before beginning their protest. The group exhibit a pronounced aversion to extreme Islam, clearly seen on their Facebook page. "We think it's irresponsible to tell immigrants 'come here, we'll take you", commented Sylvain Brouillette, a spokesperson for La Meute, arguing against asylum-seekers illegally crossing the U.S. border into Canada.

When, eventually, they were cleared to begin their protest, five hours after the march had been scheduled to begin, they marched silently to make their point of protest.