Tens of thousands of Quebec students descended on downtown Montreal Thursday afternoon for the latest in a series of escalating protests against proposed tuition hikes.
An imposing crowd, considerably larger than the one at Montreal's famous 1995 pre-referendum rally, formed a kilometres-long sea of opposition to Quebec's tuition increases, scheduled to take effect later this year.
In a spring laden with student demonstrations against the Quebec government, this was easily the largest.
The parade of protest was so long that its front end would be a full neighbourhood – or even two – away from the tail end.
An organizing group boasted that the protest spanned 50 city blocks.
There were no violent incidents involving the chanting, placard-waving throng.
There were, however, reports of some protesters carrying sticks, that police confiscated.
And there was a threat from a major protest group:
"If the government doesn't announce a retreat on the [tuition] hike today the next step will involve actions that disrupt the economy," the C.L.A.S.S.E. student group posted on its Twitter page.
The demonstration came two days after the provincial budget and a blunt refusal by Premier Jean Charest's government to back down on the hikes.
Students have been staging almost daily protests for the last several weeks and blocked a major commuter bridge on Tuesday.
Police have also ramped up tactics and have used chemical sprays against the demonstrators.
Continue reading - Massive student tuition march paralyzes Montreal
The March 22nd Tuition Hike - Part 1
The March 22nd Tuition Hike - Part 2
Huge Montreal Student Protest, March 22 2012 (view from bridge)
March 22, 2012 Quebec Student Protest Against Tuition Fee Increase
Students march to protest tuition fee hikes
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