Montreal students protest tuition hike

Thousands of students gather to protest against tuition hikes in downtown Montreal November 10, 2011.

A tuition increase has caused thousands of students to come to the streets of the Canadian city of Montreal to denounce the government’s plan.

The rally was held at Place Emilien Gamelin on Thursday, The Montreal Gazette reported.

The students chanted slogans, denouncing Jean Charest, the Prime Minister of the province of Quebec, where Montreal is located.

Last year, Charest announced that he would raise tuition fee starting in January 2012, by $325 annually, amounting to a $1,625-hike for the next five years. Students currently pay around $2,200 annually.

In Canada, regional officials set the rules governing the cost of tuition at state-run colleges and universities, which vary greatly from province to province.

There have been protests since Charest announced the measure last year.

In April, a protest through Montreal turned violent and ended with police using stun grenades and pepper spray to disperse the crowd.