At least 50 arrests at Montreal student protest

MONTREAL — Police made dozens of arrests Wednesday morning after student protesters, some of whom were masked, threw firecrackers at officers and tried to occupy the downtown Eaton Centre.

About 150 students gathered at Victoria Square and began to march up the hill towards the commercial district.

Police declared the event illegal after protesters gathered at the Eaton Centre around 8:30 a.m. Demonstrators vandalized the mall as well as a nearby hotel, leading police to surround about 50 suspects.

Students also planned to gather in large numbers in Premier Jean Charest's home riding of Sherbrooke, about 200 km east of Montreal.

It's part of a strike by about 200,000 post-secondary students who are upset about Charest's decision to increase tuition by $1,625 over five years.

Protesters have blocked bridges and major thoroughfares across Quebec, and several protests have ended in violence and arrests.