MONTREAL — A Montreal march against perceived police brutality was declared illegal as soon as it began this afternoon because organizers had not informed authorities of their route.
Police officers outnumbered protesters by far at an annual demonstration that often turns confrontational.
Demonstrators congregated at the street corner where a homeless man was fatally shot by a Montreal police officer in February 2014.
The protest against police brutality has been held in Montreal for nearly 20 years, with some ending with smashed-in storefronts and damaged cop cars.
Since a law requiring demonstrators to provide an itinerary was introduced in 2012, police have moved quickly to shut down the protests, often declaring them illegal as soon as they start.
Last year's protest resulted in 288 fines and five arrests. In 2013, 200 people were arrested.
The organizers of Sunday's march, the Collective Opposed to Police Brutality, are planning to hold a second anti-brutality protest to coincide with Montreal's St-Patrick's Day Parade next Sunday.
Montreal's mayor has promised there will be no tolerance for anyone planning to disrupt the family-friendly event, which has been running for 192 years.
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