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This week marked two years since the horrific October 7, 2023, terror attack carried out by Hamas on Israel, which claimed the lives of over a thousand innocent civilians. In Montreal, the anniversary sparked a series of protests and demonstrations.

Throughout the day, the city saw multiple rallies, including duelling protests at Concordia University, where pro-Israel and anti-Israel groups clashed. If you missed our earlier coverage of these demonstrations, be sure to check out our detailed report.

But it was later that evening when things took a darker turn. A protest organized by the pro-Hamas group Montreal4Palestine attracted a crowd, and tensions quickly escalated. Known for their controversial Islamic street prayers in Montreal, the organizers wrote on their event publication: “We march not just in memory, but in defiance. To show that Gaza’s voice is alive in every street, every chant, every heartbeat. Resistance Until Liberation.”

What stood out in their announcement was what they chose not to say. Nowhere was there a mention of the more than 1,000 innocent lives brutally lost at the hands of Hamas on October 7th. Instead, the focus was on celebrating the very terrorists responsible for these acts of terror.

At the beginning of the protest, the situation quickly became tense and dangerous for those documenting it. Thankfully, we brought 5 private bodyguards to keep us safe. Despite this, the Montreal police threatened us with arrest for "obstruction." Natasha Graham, an independent journalist, and Terry Newman from the National Post were also present and were threatened with arrest if they did not comply with their orders.

Amid the chaos, a familiar figure from previous incidents, Julien Crete Nadeau, known to Montreal police for his violent behaviour, assaulted me once again. This was not the first time he had targeted me — he had previously assaulted and threatened both me and my colleague Guillaume Roy at Square Victoria.

But the night didn’t end there. Just as I was recovering from the assault, a masked individual wearing a keffiyeh threw liquid from a bottle directly in my face.

We continued to report, despite the Montreal police blocking us from approaching the protest. Then, when the weather turned and the rain poured heavily, we decided to call it a night.

However, we soon realized we were being followed. Three masked individuals, dressed primarily in black, were tracking us down. When I confronted them, asking why they were following us, they mocked us. Still, we continued our way to our car.

For over 40 minutes, they persisted in following us.

At this point, I decided to call 911. The police response was swift. Within 10 minutes, officers arrived and chased down the individuals, managing to arrest two of them. What stood out most was that these individuals were wearing nitrile gloves, raising questions about their intentions.

After the arrests, we made our way to the police station. Now, we await further updates. We’ll keep you informed on what happens next.

In the meantime, if you’d like to help us continue reporting safely from the field, please consider supporting us at StandWithAlexa.com. Our security team’s presence played a crucial role in ensuring our safety, and without them, the situation could have taken a far more dangerous turn.

We also want to thank the Montreal police for their quick response when we called for help. While the actions of law enforcement may vary depending on the circumstances and orders received, their swift intervention helped us feel safe in an increasingly tense environment.