Montreal midday austerity protest leads to more than 30 arrests

Montreal police arrested three people for assaulting officers, one forwearing a mask and about 30 as "preventivearrests" at a middayanti-austerity protest on Rene-Levesque Boulevard downtown near theQueen Elizabeth Hotel.

Police say protesters tried to enter an office building. A scufflebroke out after officers arrested a demonstrator forwearing a mask,violating the municipal P-6 bylaw. One officer suffered minor injuriesto his jaw.

Police then surrounded all the demonstrators, containing them onRne-Lvesque Boulevard. The street was closed for a time between Peel StreetandRobert-Bourassa Street.

Police searched demonstrators and loaded them onto a city bus.

Police spokesperson Ian Lafrenire said the demonstration was declared illegal and most of the arrests are preventive. Lafrenire says the majority of demonstrators will be released without charge later.