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Montreal police seize the head of student protesters’ panda mascot

There are some pandas the government just won’t like. Take Montreal’s “Anarchopanda”* for example, which is a person in a large panda costume that has apparently become the unofficial mascot of Montreal student protester.

Over the weekend, the mascot’s head was seized by police and the wearer was charged with wearing a mask during an illegal assembly. The Montreal Gazette reports that a local law prohibits protesters from holding rallies without submitting an itinerary. The controversial bylaw P-6 also makes it illegal to wear masks during such protests.

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The reason for P-6 is because they don’t want people shielding their identity from police, not because they don’t find pandas adorable. Because as we know, Canadian governments love pandas.

The Gazette reports that the person under the mask was fined $637 each for participating in an illegal assembly and for wearing the panda mask while doing it. The mask has been seized for use as a court exhibit.

What makes the whole issue more notable is that the federal government has passed its own bill outlawing masks during riots and illegal assemblies. Considering it is already illegal to wear disguises to commit a crime, the national bill has been called unnecessary and poorly considered. Interim Liberal Leader Bob Rae pointed out the obvious concern:

"I don't think people understand the implications that it has — when does wearing a toque low on your face become a mask?" Rae said when the bill was passed, according to CBC News.

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One could argue that the panda costume falls into the same grey area. It wasn’t worn to hide a person’s identity – the Gazette article alludes that the wearer of the costume is well known – but to soften the image of a group of people that spend pretty much all of their time clogging Montreal streets with protests and rallies.

Also, pandas get attention.

*It is also important to clarify that “Anarchopanda” is a panda that seemingly endorses anarchy and is not, as some might fear, partially spider.

Photo courtesy of the Canadian Press