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“Manufestation” during Canadian Grand Prix could backfire on Quebec’s student protesters

No one can fault them for a lack of dedication.

In the months since Montreal students have taken to the streets to protest university tuition hikes, they've managed to keep their manufestation afloat both in media headlines and dinner party debates with Canadians applauding them for their commitment to exercising their democratic rights, or deriding them for what they perceive to be youth entitlement.

But as the AFP reports, tensions have escalated amidst this weekend's Formula One Grand Prix as protestors ramped up their efforts to disrupt the global sporting event and draw attention to their cause.

Considered the kickoff to Montreal's busy summer season, the Canadian Grand Prix can pump up to $100 million into the city's revenue stream as car-loving revelers pour into town to enjoy the weekend's festivities.

This year, however, sales have reportedly been hurt by the demonstrations.

"When we attack the Grand Prix, it's not the Quebec government that people are assaulting, it's all Quebecers," Quebec Premier Jean Charest said earlier in the week.

Car-racing champion Jacques Villeneuve escalated that sentiment, blasting the demonstrators for being "badly raised" and "lazy" and calling them "rebels without a cause."

On Thursday, nearly 40 protestors were arrested after hundreds of them stripped down to their skivvies to protest a lack of government transparency and tried to push their way through police barriers protecting the event.

The Globe and Mail notes that the students' behaviour elicited a mixture of indifference and anger from people on the other side of the fence.

With Just For Laughs around the corner, organizers are worried the ongoing demonstrations will also put a dent in their popular festival. Quebec tourism organizations fear a major hit to the livelihood of local businesses.

Student leaders have stated they won't disrupt the summer's busy festival season and that the threat has been blown "wildly overblown" in an attempt to discredit their movement.

Though the protesters still have backing of many sympathetic to their cause, it will be interesting to see if public support starts to wane if their demonstrations interfere with beloved summer traditions.

Will the pressure force the government's hand, or will the manufestation backfire as students get reframed as the bad guys?

One certainty, however, is that the Just For Laughs comedians will certainly have no lack of material this year.