A dozen minors were arrested during protests against overconsumption on Black Friday in Montreal's busiest downtown shopping district.

Montreal police say the minors glued their hands to two store windows on Ste-Catherine Street near Peel Street. The fire department was called in to unstick their hands from inside American Eagle and H&M.

The minors were arrested for mischief and released on promises to return to court at a later date.

According to Radio-Canada, the teenagers were members of an environmental group called Extinction Rebellion Youth Québec.

"We are doing this for the children who are exploited and the resources that are wasted — for those whose rights are violated in the production of useless goods," said Osama Kaidali, a spokesperson for the group.

Dozens gathered on Ste-Catherine Street Friday afternoon, blocking traffic, holding signs and chanting in protest of the shopping tradition. (Radio-Canada)

Extinction Rebellion and La planète s'invite à l'université organized the protests on Friday, disrupting commercial operations in the shopping district.

They marched through malls and blocked traffic on Ste-Catherine Street.

"While companies propose saving 20 per cent or 30 per cent, we propose you save 100 per cent," said Marouane Joundi, a spokesperson for La planète s'invite à l'université, referring to the idea of buying nothing on Black Friday.

He said it's possible to move "from an economy of overconsumption to an economy of sharing, giving, exchange, repair."

In Quebec City, there were about 100 protesters gathered in places like Laurier Québec, a shopping mall. Some were escorted out by police, but none were arrested there. (Marc-André Turgeon/Radio-Canada)

In Quebec City, about 100 activists protested on Friday afternoon at Place Sainte-Foy and Laurier Québec, one of Canada's largest shopping malls.

They lay down in the malls, and protested outside as well. Some were escorted away by police, but Radio-Canada reports none were arrested.

The Retail Council of Canada estimates that Quebecers will spend 39 per cent of their $507 average holiday shopping budget on Black Friday this year, up three per cent from 2018.