MONTREAL — About 200 protesters took to the streets of Montreal’s downtown core Friday night to decry police violence and demand the firing of the officer widely known as Agent 728.

The event, organized on Facebook, was relatively low-key, involving chanting, the occasion lobbing of firecrackers into the air and a short show of strength outside of police headquarters on St. Urban St.

“The impunity allowed to police in this city has to end,” one 20-something woman said.

Constable Stéfanie Trudeau (whose badge number is 728) “is not the only one to abuse police power. We had it all spring and summer,” said the protester, who would not identify herself.

Trudeau was this week suspended from the force, pending the results of a disciplinary investigation following public outrage over a widely distributed cellphone video that records her foul language and her use of overwhelming force against a civilian.

A small number of the protesters wore masks and fewer carried picket signs or banners.

The protest was declared illegal at about 10 p.m., or less than an hour after the march began.

The chants of the marchers included a call for passersby to join them as they travelled westward and, eventually, took to Ste. Catherine St. but few, if any, did.

Montreal police officers on bicycle pedalled in front of and behind the protesters, as did a few officers whose jackets identified them as members of the mediation team.

Riot-equipped police formed lines several times during the march, notably in front of their St. Urban station and across Ste. Catherine St. at the Stanley St. intersection where their heavy presence turned the marchers around and then south on Peel St.

The march began around 9:15 p.m. at Place Émile-Gamelin. It ended at about 11 p.m., police spokesperson Constable Daniel Richer said.

One protester was questioned in connection with the use of fireworks and one police cruiser was defaced with marker pen, he said.

lmoore@montrealgazette.com

Twitter: @LynnMooreTweets