13 arrested in Workers’ Day protest, Montreal police officers allegedly assaulted

Protesters at the International Workers' Day gathering in Montreal on May 1, 2026. (Denise Roberts/CTV News)

Montreal police (SPVM) arrested 13 individuals during the International Workers’ Day protest that started at Square Victoria.

SPVM spokesperson Manuel Couture said that arrests were made for armed assaults on police officers.

The demonstrators marched through the downtown core, and police say that around 8:30 p.m., some participants threw pyrotechnics at bystanders and projectiles at officers.

In addition, garbage cans were used to block police near the intersection of Jeanne-Mance and Sainte-Catherine streets.

Police used pepper spray to disperse the crowd.

In a post to its website, the anti-capitalist group known by the acronym CLAC called for solidarity against forces and legislation it deemed “anti-union, racist, transphobic (and) anti-feminist.”

Nearby, thousands of fans had gathered outside the Bell Centre to watch Game 6 of the playoff series between the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Despite a heartbreaking overtime loss for the Canadiens, police said there were no incidents to report.

--With files from The Canadian Press.