G7 Protests Begin as Leaders' Summit Kicks off in Quebec

The Star, QUEBEC—Several hundred mainly peaceful protesters filled a heavily protected street of Quebec City on Thursday night, on the eve of a G7 summit that will bring U.S. President Donald Trump to Canada for the first time.

The protesters marched down the streets flanked on each side by police in riot gear. Moments of tension and confrontation — including the burning of flags, some masked demonstrators and a small number of arrests — quickly quieted down, even as the city braced for more.

Quebec City's historic district looked as though business owners were preparing for a mini hurricane to blow through the cobblestone streets, as several storefronts were barricaded with plywood in anticipation of anti-G7 protests.

Stores that were open for business vastly outnumbered the shuttered facades. But the police presence in the old city was noticeable — squad cars drove through the area and uniformed officers kept watch at different spots across the neighbourhood popular with tourists and locals alike.

On Thursday evening, rows of officers in protective gear watched closely as protesters gathered for what organizers had described as a "festive mass demonstration against the G7, capitalism, patriarchy, colonialism, racism, and borders."

The atmosphere was mainly upbeat, with some wearing colourful costumes and bearing signs advocating for such diverse causes as food security, open borders and environmental protection.