Pro-Palestinian protesters block CN rail south of Montreal, four arrested

MONTREAL — Police say about 30 pro-Palestinian protesters blocked a stretch of railway south of Montreal for several hours on Saturday.

The CN-owned rail line connects Montreal to Halifax, where protesters say goods are being shipped to the Middle Eastern country.

Police say four officers were pepper-sprayed and four people in their 20s and 30s face charges ranging from obstruction to assault.

In a press release, the protesters say their goal was to shut down a “vital trade artery” between Canada and Israel and that all trade with the country must be halted.

This comes as a growing number of pro-Palestinian camps have sprung up on university campuses in Montreal and, most recently, in a public park downtown.

CN says it is aware of the incident and monitoring the situation, and the protesters declined The Canadian Press’ request for an interview.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 29, 2024.

The Canadian Press