Montreal protesters form human chain to protest Quebec’s secularism bill

MONTREAL – Several hundred people formed a human chain around the Montreal courthouse today to protest the Quebec government’s secularism bill.

The protest brought together a coalition of citizens, religious groups, teachers and lawyers, who held hands outside the Old Montreal building to symbolically highlight the importance of protecting rights and freedoms.

Speakers at the event included Charles Taylor, a philosopher who co-authored the 2008 report on religious accommodation that is seen as having partly inspired the Quebec government’s legislation.

Taylor has since turned fully against the idea of any restrictions on religious symbols, and promised those gathered at the courthouse that he’d continue to fight the bill in any way he can.

Quebec’s Bill 21 would ban the wearing of religious symbols at work for many state employees in positions of authority, including teachers, police officers and Crown prosecutors.

Consultations on the proposed legislation will begin Tuesday in Quebec City.