Groups clash outside Concordia University during 'resist far-right' event

Several scuffles broke out after opposing protests met face-to-face near Concordia University's downtown campus on Saturday morning.

Montreal police were called to the campus to keep a close watch over the confrontation.

One of the groups, led by QPIRG Concordia, was at the university for the first day of an event they organized called "Learn to Resist".

On Facebook the event is described as a "teach-in and conference about resisting the far-right."

After learning about the event, the Canadian Coalition of Concerned Citizens organized a protest, calling the event a "terrorists workshop".

The CCCC was the main organizer behind the nation-wide protests in early March against M-103, a non-binding motion condemning Islamophobia and religious discrimination.

Among the CCCC protesters was a man wearing a Soldiers of Odin sweatshirt. They have been described as a far-right group.

Protest CCCC Soldiers of Odin
The Canadian Coalition of Concerned Citizens organised a protest after learning about the 'resisting the far-right' workshop. (CBC)

"They hide behind their Quebec flags and their Canadian flags but they really are groups that are promoting false, exaggerated information about immigrants and about Muslims," said Jaggi Singh, a member of QPIRG Concordia and Solidarity Across Borders, who helped organize the event.

Singh said after they found out about the CCCC-led protest, they organized their own counter-protest.

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Montreal police said there were no arrests, but two tickets were handed out for fighting.

The second day of the "Learn to Resist" event is being held at Cegep du Vieux-Montréal on Sunday.


Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/concordia-university-clash-protests-far-right-resist-1.4041508