Montreal Saturday March 22, 2003 ---- More than 250 000 people gathered today in Montreal along with hundreds of thousands throughout the world to march in opposition to the US / British lead strikes on Iraq. Montreal Riot Police Brutalize Protestors Outside of American Consulate.

Hundreds of Thousands Take to the Streets of Montreal in Opposition to the War on Iraq - Montreal Riot Police Brutalize Protestors Outside of American Consulate.

Montreal Saturday March 22, 2003 ---- More than 250 000 people gathered today in Montreal along with hundreds of thousands throughout the world to march in opposition to the US / British lead strikes on Iraq. The streets of downtown Montreal were filled with thousands who represent the growing anti-war movement around the world which stands in solidarity with Iraq and it's people who continue to be assaulted by massive pre-emptive military strikes. As the Montreal demonstration arrived in the thousands at the American Consulate, a main target for those in the streets, protestors shouted slogans like "Bush, Blair Terrorist!" and "The People United Will Never by Defeated!". George Bush, Tony Blair and those governments such as Canada's, who stand in complicity with this war, were clearly seen by the thousands on the streets of Montreal today as International Terrorists for their military actions against Iraq and it's people.

After the demonstration gathered for some time at the American Consulate, the Montreal riot police arrived in full force, while protestors continued to chant anti-war slogans, burn American & British flags in opposition to the war. The flags of Palestine & Iraq where held high and cheered by the crowds as people chanted slogans in support of the growing global revolt against the American war machine. As protestors confronted the American Consulate, the Montreal riot police began using peeper spray, clubs and shields to keep demonstrators from crossing over the barricades to confront the American Consulate directly.

For sometime the riot squad continued to assault anti-war / anti-American demonstrators while protecting the American Consulate a clear symbol of the American Empire in Montreal. Around 3pm the riot police began a massive assault on demonstrators with peeper spray and beatings on those confronting the war. Protestors were eventually pushed back in the hundreds from the Consulate by riot police on to Rene Levesque street. Hundreds of demonstrators then began a spontaneous sit-down on the street and refused to move, at this point the first round of arrests took place on Rene Levesque. As the riot police continued their assault on Anti-war demonstrators, people began fighting back against the police repression in outrage.

After the assault on protestors voicing their rejection to the war on Iraq continued those in the streets began to show serious bruises and bloody faces from the hits of the batons of the Montreal riot police. The cops at this point where also covered in mud from the gardens surrounding the American Consulate.

Police continued to brutalize protestors and more arrests began to take place. Leila Mouammar a Palestinian activist in Montreal, was attacked by riot police and swiftly dragged off and arrested. Many other arrests went down and tonight in Montreal people are gathering at Police Station 20 where those arrested are currently being held, to show solidarity with those taken down on the streets of Montreal today.

The demonstrations in Montreal today reflect a growing outrage with the American & British lead war on Iraq and an escalation of street tactics, which directly confront symbols in our cities of the American Empire. As bombs continue to fall on Iraq and it's people, the streets of Montreal and many other cities throughout the world continue to be filled with those voicing their outrage toward this illegal attack on Iraq and it's civilian population.

Reported by Stefan Christoff in Montreal - Stefan is an organizer with No One is Illegal in Montreal and can be reached at chri...@tao.ca