MONTREAL - Montreal police are investigating an officer who knocked down a woman during Thursday's student protest in downtown Montreal.

The incident was caught on camera by a student at the demonstration and quickly made public.

The video shows a woman leaning near an officer in full riot gear, who then uses his shield to shove her to the ground.

The woman hit her head on a Canada Post mailbox as she fell.

The student, whose identity CTV News has agreed to keep concealed, says he started filming moments before the woman was pushed.

"I started filming and right away after five seconds she gets pushed, and that is what really surprised me, no one was there to help her," said the 22-year-old Cegep student.

"I called out for someone to help and students that were around helped her quickly.

"I think in the video we hear a police [officer] tell the other police to get help."

The student says the woman was in her fifties and not part of the protest.





Police launched investigation after seeing video



A spokesman from the Montreal police department said that officers at the scene called for an ambulance, and that the woman was treated by paramedics, but refused to be hospitalized.

They also said she did not want to press charges against the officer, and left as soon as paramedics finished.

After seeing the video online, the SPVM began its investigation of the officer, but has not said if the man in question has been suspended or relegated to desk duty.





