On Thursday evening, a group of protesters gathered outside the Montreal residence of Industry Minister Mélanie Joly. They aimed to convey two key messages: the difficulty of satisfying the diverse demographics of her riding and the consequences of her perceived duplicity in addressing voter concerns.

Videos shared on social media show protesters holding Palestinian flags and banging pots, a common form of protest in Quebec. Many attendees wore keffiyehs, a traditional Middle Eastern scarf. A projection on Joly's apartment building displayed messages such as, "Melanie war criminal — every time Melanie lies a child in Gaza dies. Israel terrorist. Melanie complice (complicit)."

An unidentified woman, draped in a keffiyeh and speaking through a megaphone, expressed in French, "Canada’s arming of Israel during this genocide is the greatest stain of our generation. Ms. Joly’s actions warrant immediate consequences." However, she did not specify what those consequences should be.

This protest is part of a broader trend of escalating tensions directed at politicians and school administrators who have not aligned with pro-Palestinian sentiments in Montreal since the October 7 massacre. Following the attack by Hamas on Israel, sit-ins were organized at the offices of Liberal MPs, including Joly, who was then the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Protesters targeted these MPs to pressure them into signing a letter demanding a ceasefire, despite the Liberal Party's official stance supporting Israel's right to defend itself.

By early November 2023, 33 MPs, including 23 Liberals, had signed the ceasefire letter, indicating a well-organized campaign to influence political positions on the Israel-Palestine conflict. A report noted that these demonstrations were part of a nationwide series of sit-ins across 12 cities in Canada, aimed at showing solidarity with Palestinians.

The protests have continued into 2024. On December 18, a rally organized by the Palestine Solidarity Network Canada took place outside the Montreal office of Minister Steven Guilbeault, urging him to support a ceasefire. In September 2024, three pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested for criminal harassment of then-immigration minister Marc Miller, who represents a suburban Montreal riding. One protester labeled him a "child-killer," but the charges were later dropped.

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante has also faced backlash from pro-Palestinian protesters. On July 9, 2024, a council meeting was disrupted by protesters, leading to the temporary removal of Plante and other council members for safety reasons. Prior to this, Plante had criticized McGill University for its handling of an anti-Israel encampment, which was eventually dismantled with public health intervention. Shortly before the disruption, she ordered the removal of a pro-Palestinian encampment in Victoria Square, drawing ire from activists.

In October 2024, after the disruption of her council meeting, Plante described the pro-Palestinian protests, which included vandalism, as "unacceptable" and stated that such actions would "not be tolerated." However, following incidents of violence, including rioters smashing windows and burning cars, her comments on the protests became more cautious.