Thousands march in Monteal

Some ten thousand protesters on foot, bicycle, skateboard or rollerblades, crossed Montreal to the deafening din of pots, fog horns and whistles. Some carried Quebec flags, others red flags and placards denouncing a special law passed a week ago to limit the right to protest. The law sought to clamp down on the student protests by requiring organizers to give police at least eight hours advance warning of times and locations of demonstrations, with big fines for failure to do so. Authorities have used the emergency law to declare protests illegal, clearing the way for police to disperse protesters. Amid this tumult, there were people dressed as clowns, a man dressed in a panda costume and a young naked woman serenely riding a bicycle. A small police escort followed behind on horseback, by bicycle and by car. While students formed the bulk of the protest, there were also some senior citizens who found some creative ways to show their discontent. "I am 71 years old and I went to study at Paris just after May 1968," said Guytay Tremblay, a professor of art who was dressed as the Statue of Liberty. Many marchers said the special law was just one of several reasons for their presence. "For months we hear of various scandals, corruption," explained Jocelyn Simard, a retired professor of philosophy. "People listen to it on television but they feel helpless. I think students have encouraged people to take to the streets to express their rejection of political corruption." The march was immediately declared illegal by police, who had not been informed of its itinerary. But the demonstrators were able to proceed without incident and the only arrest made was that of an irate driver, who could not stand being blocked by the protesters, police said. Similar events were held in Quebec City, Trois-Rivieres and in several other cities in the francophone province.