Dozens arrested in anti-capitalism May Day protest in Montreal

Police arrested 84 people, including 27 on criminal charges, and used tear gas to disperse demonstrators at a night-time protest in downtown Montreal organized by a local anti-capitalist group called CLAC.

Hundreds of peoplegathered atatleast three different locations around the city,well before the protests officially got underway at 7 p.m. ET.

The group called on protesters to cause the "maximum disruption possible" to businesses downtown.

However, the majority of the crowd were people carrying anti-austerity messages with no intention of vandalism or violence.

By 7:10 p.m., police had already declared the demonstrations illegal and began ordering protesters to disperse.

As demonstrators moved up McGill College Avenue from de Maisonneuve Boulevard, police began launching rounds of tear gas.

Childrengassed by police

Families and bystanders were among those gassed early in the demonstration. One woman said she brought her family to the protest thinkingit would be peaceful.

"Suddenly, there was tear gas all around us," the woman, who did not give her name,said, as one of her children cried in the background.

"We have a baby with us."

Montreal police Sgt. LaurentGingras said it's regrettable that families were caught in the fray, but he said police warned people to leave the area before firing rounds of tear gas.

Montrealpolice confirmed there were arrests, but did not have a final tally.

Police kettledprotesters

Gingras said one of the challenges police face wassplinter groups thatappeared across the city, making it difficultto disperse protesters.

Bystander Sarah Campbell was walking home from eating dinner near Sherbrooke Street and HutchisonStreet when she saw police approach one of the splinter groups, comprised ofaround 15 protesters.

She said as many as 11 police cars appeared. Policekettled them, spraying one with pepper spray, and punching another in the face.

"It was surreal, almost. I really felt not scared, but upset. Well no, I was scared," she said.

Police car damaged

One officer suffered facial cuts and was taken to hospital withinjuries that were not considered life-threatening, said Gingras.

"Police cruisers and cars belonging to ordinary people weredamaged," he said.

One protester was seen smashing the windows of a cruiser with hisfists.

Several people were sent to hospital, including two police officers one for facial injuries and a second for back injuries, after police said that officer was beaten with a stick.

84 arrested, including 27 on criminal charges

In all, 84 people were arrested by the time the demonstration wrapped up at around 11 p.m.

Fifty-seven were intercepted under a municipal bylaw that forbids protesting once police declare the gathering illegal.

Twenty-seven face criminal charges, including 10 arrests for assault of a police officer, assault with a weapon and disarming a police officer.

Earlier May Day protests peaceful

The protest was in stark contrast to those held earlier in theday when thousands took to the streets of Montreal and elsewhere inthe province in peaceful demonstrations.

Those protests focused primarily on big banks and the QuebecLiberal government's cost-cutting measures.

Alexa Conradi, president of the Quebec Federation of Women, saidthe Couillard government hasn't taken into account any of theproposals presented by social groups.

"Instead, what it's doing is causing cuts to education...inpublic services, in health care and in the regions." she said.

"Alot of these services are absolutely essential to maintaining adegree of equality in our society."

Conradi added that various groups decided to protest throughoutthe province because of what she called thegovernment's refusal tolisten to them.

The Montreal demonstrations brought together a variety of groupsthat included unionists, students and social groups.