Continuing the new nightly tradition, hundreds of people in Petite-Patrie and Villeray came out at 8pm to bang on their pots and pans.

Why all the racket?

It's part of the popular protest against the Liberal government's emergency law, Law 78. Meant to put a damper on protests against tuition fee hikes across the province - and particurlarly in Montreal - it has instead led to more popular resistance and spontaneous demonstrations.

While the #casseroleencours (the tongue in cheek Twitter hashtag for the noisy protest) often stays stationary and off the streets, tonight people began marching. When I joined the demonstration at Beaubien and Chritophe-Colomb, we were maybe 200 in the intersection. That slowly grew though, especially as we started marching.

Reaching the corner of Catelnau and St-Denis, and now numbering around 400, we happened upon another several hundred people heading south on St-Denis from Villeray. With over 1,000 people, the crowd kept moving, singing the now familiar refrain of 'La loi spéciale / On s'en câlisse!' (We don't give a shit / about your emergency law).

The crowd was made up of young people and seniors, families, roommates and groups of neighbors. People along the route joined in from balconies and windows, banging, clapping and waving. 

While the demonstration clearly went against Law 78, police followed mostly at a distance, blocking traffic and keeping an eye on the crowd. 

The march is continuing as I write; over twitter people are reporting thousands marching in the Plateau, where the crowds have met up. There are also marches happening in Rosemont, Verdun and Hochelaga-Maisonneuve

The feeling of spontaneity and community was thrilling. If we want to talk about popular protest, of people power, this must surely be it.