No, you weren't imagining things. That was a police helicopter flying over Montreal last night

Montreal police arelooking to crack down on large outdoor gatherings, and you may have been startled or even scared by their latest effort.

Your ears did not deceive you. What you heard last night was a helicopter flyingover the city. The SPVM borrowed it from theSuret du Qubec.

Given the easing of restrictions and Friday's night Montreal Canadiens playoff game, the SPVM wanted to have a presence in areas where there have been large outdoor gatherings in recent days, according to spokesperson Vronique Comtois.

Some of those gatherings have been chaotic.

A person was shot and another was stabbed last Sunday atPlace Jacques-Cartier next to the city's Old Port, and riot police had to disperse a crowd of several thousand people.

Since Thursday, the Old Port is closed from midnight until 6 a.m. until further notice.

Montreal police say the helicopter could be deployed again Saturday night. They say they understand that it can be aninconvenience, but say it is an important tool to make sure public health rules are respected.