How Quebec's largest far-right group tries to win friends, influence people

Headquarters for La Meute, Quebec's largest and now most prominent far-right group, is a tin shed behind the home of co-founder Patrick Beaudry.

It's not quite off-the-grid, but close to it. Though only 60 kilometres north of Quebec City, cellphone reception is spotty hereand GPS unreliable.

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On Sunday morning, La Meute'sleaders, all dressed in black,gathered at Beaudry'stofinalizeplans for that afternoon'santi-immigration rally in Quebec City.

Ahead of the protest, Beaudrywasnursing a Grolschbeer. Itwas 10:30 a.m.

With him were Eric Proulx, 51, the group's leader in the Saguenayarea (drinking a Five Alive) andSylvain Brouillette, 52, La Meute'splacid spokesmanwho runs a towingcompany by day.

The trio sensed that La Meute'sfuture as a citizen's movement hinged on their performance at the demonstration.

An orderly march, the leaders believed, would go a long way dispelling notions the group is composed of racists and violent extremists. They chafe under the "far-right label," and prefer to speak of their ideology as "common sense."

"We hope that it will happen orderly.But we have confidence in our group. If there is violence it won't come from us,"Brouillettesaid before heading into the capital.

Far-right and anti-racism groups clash in Quebec City

7 years ago

Duration 3:01

Far-right groups, including La Meute, planned an anti-immigration demonstration in Quebec City but anti-racism counter-protesters blocked their efforts.

Two faces of La Meute

There are, however, no shortage of those who see La Meute as a threat to social harmony and tolerance in Quebec. In the last week alone, they have been derided by everyone from the mayors of Quebec City and Montreal, to Premier Philippe Couillard.

Even the prime ministerhad harsh words for the group when it appeared they played an instrumental role swaying votes against a proposed Muslim cemetery near Quebec City.

The group's public criticism of illegal immigration and radical Islam often belies the harsher tone that members take on its secret Facebook page, which boasts 43,700 members.

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One recent post remarked how there were "no more white people" in Montreal, adding"the population is being replaced by immigrants." It's not uncommon for members to use derogatory terms to refer toMuslims.

In Beaudry's yard Sunday morning, the three La Meute leaders were talking with Alexandre Cormier-Denis, who is something of a far-right impresario though notaffiliated with the group.

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An unabashed supporter of France's Marine Le Pen,Cormier-Denisran in a provincial Montreal byelection earlier this year.His campaign posters were roundly denounced as Islamophobicand taken down by Montreal police.

Cormier-Denisalso contributes to Nomos-TV, a self-described "patriotic" web channel that discusses identity and immigration issues.

As Beaudry's mangy dog kept rubbing againstCormier-Denis'leg, the group discussed why terms like neo-Naziand racist labels used bytheir criticswerepoor descriptors of their outlook.

"It's an attempt to manipulate public opinion," said Beaudry. "You have to ask to what extent it's being orchestrated."

Trapped underground

The well-crafted plan for Sunday was to have La Meute members meet at 1 p.m. in an underground parking lot of a government buildingbehind the National Assembly. School buses were rented and carpools organized to bring in members from across the province.

They were to march in silence around the legislature building, protesting what they see as Canada's overly lax immigration policies.

Discipline is important to La Meute's leaders. The group is structured hierarchically, unsurprisinggiven its founders are ex-military. (Beaudry also spent several months as a private contractor in Afghanistan.)

Members of the leadership council have shirts embroidered with five teeth on the collar. Beaudry'shas six.

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La Meutealso organized a security detail for the protest headed byBeaudry's girlfriend as well as a medical team. They had walkie-talkies and pre-arrangedhand signals that members were told to obey.

But the crowd in the basement parking lot was excited, and the organizers repeatedly hadto shout for quiet to get their message across. When the crowd was finally corralled, they were marched towards the exit.

Far-right La Meute protesters holed up in parking garage

7 years ago

Duration 5:24

Far-right group La Meute, which planned to carry out a protest against illegal immigration in Quebec, waits for police to clear counter-protesters from the entryways of a parking garage

By this time, however, a sufficient number of counter-demonstrators hadgathered at the exits and were tussling with police. It was too dangerous to leave, police told them.

So the group was marched back into the echoing bowels of the parking garage. And then the wait began.

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At regular intervals for the next four hours, La Meute's security detailconferredwith police, only to come back shaking their heads.

Feelings were mixed among the group's leaders. On the one hand, they were frustrated to be hemmed underground by their opponents. On the other, they felt the violent counter-demonstration two storeysabove played into their favour.

"You see, we're not the violent ones," said Stephane Roch, a leader from the Montreal area. He repeated the comment several times while we were in the parking lot.

But as they waited, the stale airand oppressive heat began to wear on the energy of the crowd.

A few, looking wan, were escorted out. Several layprostrate on the cement floor. Water bottles were rationed and passed around.

The rank-and-file

Around 5 p.m. police let the trapped would-be demonstrators climb the stairs and access the convention centre above. All 200 converged on a small bathroom, and then waited longer.

But their spirits got lighter, convinced they would soon have their chance to protest. Initially instructed not to speak with reporters,La Meutemembers slowly started opening up.

A 38-year-old woman who works in the Quebec City school system expressedfearabout Islamic headscarvesin classrooms. "We're losing control of our country," she said.

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SimonGagn, who carpooled from Joliette, Que., said he joined the protest to express his unhappiness at the Quebec government. "We're being left out. And I'm not the only one who feels that way."

ClaudiaRochette, a Quebec City resident, said she has beenfed up with the province's political parties for a long time, but only decided at the last minute to join Sunday's protest.

Despite being penned underground for hours, she didn't regret her decision. On the contrary, she said, it only convinced her of the merit of La Meute'scause.

"I'm a nationalist, but I'm not a racist, you see. I just think we have to preserve our culture," Rochette said.

Before and after the protest

It was close to 6:30 p.m. when police finally gave La Meute the all-clear to leave the building. The crowd was corralled once again, instructions repeated and orders given for an umpteenth time.

Beaudry, and the rest of La Meute'sleadership, are image conscious, and they were savvy enough to know that a PR win wasat-hand on Sunday evening. With the counter-demonstrators now dispersed, they hadthe media's attention to themselves.

When the first members of La Meuteto emerge from the building didso unevenly, and in ragtag fashion, Beaudry shouted at them to return.

The scene was repeated, this time with everyone leaving in unison, somewhat improving the photo op.

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The media converged around Brouillette, and along with Beaudry, the pair led a silentmarch around the TournyFountain.

Brouillette explainedin his monotone voice the group's positions to a bevy of journalists, calmlydenying accusations they areracist, Islamophobicor anti-immigrant.

Instead, he said, La Meute simply wants existing immigration laws enforced, Quebec culture protected and radical Islam kept at bay.

Returning to the entrance of the parking garage,Brouilletteand Beaudryaddressed the crowd one last time in the gathering dusk.

They lauded the discipline of La Meute'smembers, and predicted theday's events would mark a turning point in how the group is seen by Quebecers.

"There will be a before-the-protest and an after-the-protest," Brouillette said.

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