Police in Montreal have arrested ten university students during a protest against a decision by Quebec’s government to raise tuition fees.
The demonstration on Tuesday had been organized by the student group Association pour un Solidarité Syndicale Étudiante (ASSE).
The protest was against the lawmakers’ agreement to index tuition to the cost of living, resulting in an increase of fees by about three per cent, or 70 Canadian dollars a year (50 euros).
However, police declared the demonstration illegal and formed barriers to control the protesters, who threw snowballs at the officers.
President of the Quebec University Student Federation (FEUQ) Martine Desjardins said, “We’re really disappointed about the fact the tuition fees are going up.”
It is reported that an estimated 10,000 people took part in the demonstration, demanding an absolute freeze on tuition, or even a free university.
Student groups have planned regular nightly demonstrations starting from next week.
Students have been protesting across Canada’s eastern province of Quebec since February 2012 in a bid to add up pressure on the provincial government to drop a plan to increase tuition fees. Some of the demonstrations have turned violent, with many students detained during clashes with police.
The original article can be found on the PressTV website, here.
