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UQAM cancels classes after students block campus entrances

The Université du Québec à Montréal decided to cancel classes on Monday after protesters blocked the entrances to several buildings at the downtown campus.

Protesting students said they were demonstrating against the potential expulsion of nine students for their involvement in previous demonstrations at the university, as well as the cuts outlined in last week's provincial budget.

In one exchange caught on a camera, a student attempting to enter a university building was pushed back by protesters. The student ended up turning around and leaving.

The demonstration appears to have had little impact since many students are already boycotting classes, though some in the university's management faculty didn't expect to find the entryway blocked.

"I was surprised, because since the boycott started last week there hadn't been any difficulty getting to classes," Maude Trudeau told CBC News.

Some of the protesters wore masks or scarves that concealed their identity.