Over 5,000 students and citizens attended a demonstration on Wednesday in Quebec Premier Jean Charest’s home riding of Sherbrooke.
Students bused in from across the province representing high schools, CEGEPs and universities which have been protesting the province’s tuition increases.
The Concordia contingent, which was organized by student union VP external Chad Walcott, lost a large number of supporters before the bus even left the Hall building.
Earlier in the day, about 60 students were arrested during a protest which occurred at the Eaton Centre shopping mall as well as the Queen Elizabeth Hotel. Police say that those arrested were involved in “mischief” though it is not completely clear what the students have been charged with.
Walcott confirmed that a number of those arrested were Concordia students who were supposed to be on the bus, which departed at 11 a.m. Ultimately the group leaving from campus was quite small, with only six people travelling to Sherbrooke for the march.
The protesters congregated at the University of Sherbrooke and met up with an even larger group before walking all the way to the premier’s local office. Once there, students continued to cheer and chant as leaders of the movement made speeches.
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