Protesters took to the streets of Montreal on Saturday, demanding justice for a Quebec man accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend.
The demonstration, organized by the group “Justice for Women,” began at Place Émilie-Gamelin and made its way to the Montreal courthouse, where the accused, 25-year-old Jean-Philippe Tremblay, was scheduled to appear.
Tremblay is facing a first-degree murder charge in the death of his ex-girlfriend, 23-year-old Marie-Pier Gagné. Gagné’s body was found in a wooded area in Sainte-Sophie, north of Montreal, on February 18.
The protesters, many of whom held signs and chanted slogans, called for an end to violence against women and for stricter laws to protect victims of domestic abuse.
“We are here to demand justice for Marie-Pier and for all women who have been victims of violence,” said one protester.
The group also criticized the justice system for not doing enough to protect women from their abusers.
“We need to see more action from the government and the justice system to prevent these tragedies from happening,” said another protester.
The demonstration comes just days after the Quebec government announced a new action plan to combat domestic violence, which includes measures such as creating specialized domestic violence courts and increasing funding for shelters and support services.
However, the protesters say more needs to be done to address the root causes of domestic violence and to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.
“We need to change the way society views and treats women,” said one protester. “We need to send a message that violence against women will not be tolerated.”
The protest ended peacefully, with organizers urging participants to continue to speak out and demand justice for victims of domestic violence.
Tremblay’s case has been postponed until March 18, and he remains in custody. The protesters say they will continue to follow the case closely and demand justice for Gagné and all victims of domestic violence.
