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Voici la vidéo de l'agression contre le PM Philippe Couillard survenue ce soir durant la vigile liée à Orlando. pic.twitter.com/JKPF5FHntm — Philippe Bonneville (@philbonneville) June 17, 2016

The man who approached Couillard was Esteban Torres, 20, organizers said, a well-known activist within the trans community who had addressed the crowd earlier in the evening at the request of organizers. The vigil was organized by Montreal Pride and the Pink Square Collective.

Toward the end of the vigil attended by an estimated 3,000 people at Parc l’Espoir on Ste-Catherine St. E., Torres, who was standing next to Couillard amid masses of people, turned to the premier, shouted “Revolution” and “We will take back the street,” and threw a crumpled piece of paper at him. Some witnesses said he attempted to slap the premier. Couillard shouted something back before police grabbed Torres and pulled the premier away.

It was a strange ending to what had been a peaceful event, with the exception of some booing of political leaders, including Couillard and Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre. Also in attendance was federal minister Mélanie Joly, Coalition Avenir Québec leader Francois Legault, Parti Québécois interim leader Sylvain Gaudreault and provincial public security minster Martin Coiteux.

Some in the audience had booed speeches by Coderre and Couillard, but were quieted by organizers who said it was a vigil, not a political rally, and by audience members who clapped to drown out the protesters.

After the speeches, organizers read the names of the 49 victims and a woman was about to take the stage to sing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” when Torres moved in.