MONTREAL—Typically, the wrath of activists is directed at large multinationals, dictatorial regimes or government leaders. Not so often a shoe store.

But every Saturday for a several months now, the streets in front of a family-run boutique in Montreal’s Plateau-Mont Royal neighbourhood have been taken over by protesters who accuse the owner of complicity in Israeli “apartheid.”

The owner of Le Marcheur (The Walker) is neither Israeli, nor Jewish, but he sells a line of women’s shoes from Israel, called BeautiFeel. Since he refused to obey their demand he stop selling the product, the protesters have called for a boycott of the store.

There’s no sign of the controversy dying down. Ever since Quebec’s most popular politician, Amir Khadir of the ultra-left Québec Solidaire party, joined the protest last month, things have only heated up.

Defenders are lining up behind the shop. The first counter protest was launched last Saturday.

The issue now has many people wondering, “When does activism turn into bullying?”

Since Khadir’s appearance, politicians from other parties, federal and provincial, have shown up to defend Yves Archambault, the store owner. They include Liberal MP Marc Garneau and Conservative Steven Blaney.

“I think that what they’re doing is bullying,” said Montreal Liberal MP Marlene Jennings, who recently purchased a pair of BeautiFeel shoes there and wore them for the first time last week.

“They’re targeting a small actor, trying to ruin a business he’s worked 25 years to build. It’s cynical and lacks generosity on the part of the demonstrators.”

The shoes, she added, had the rare combination of being both “comfortable, and pretty.”

On Saturday, the counter-protesters — including right-wing columnist Eric Duhaime — planted on the boulevard a giant Quebec flag alongside an Israeli flag of equal size. They occupied the spot where the activists usually stand.

“They chose the easiest target,” said François Tremblay, a university student studying political science. “They don’t have the means to defend themselves.”

Gérard Latulippe, the president of Rights and Democracy, a federally funded organization that promotes human rights, showed up — as a citizen, he emphasized — to buy shoes.

“This is an attack on human rights,” he declared, explaining the protests impinge on the family and its employees trying to earn a living.

The protesters, part of a group called Palestinian and Jewish Unity, or PAJU, changed strategy Saturday, using irony to make their point. Their banner read: “Let’s support Israeli apartheid.”

“We realized that the politicians were right,” said Sabine Friesinger. “It’s our duty to buy more Israeli products.”

The rights of 1.7 million Palestinians “under siege . . . don’t have more value than a pair of shoes at Le Marcheur,’’ she said with a smile.

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Friesinger repeated the same line when asked why the group is targeting a small, independent business. But another protester said, “If they take out their Israeli shoes it won’t hurt their business.”

Archambault, 59, says he has a few more grey hairs since the controversy began. But he says it’s all about principle.

“What’s next? Will someone tell us not to sell products from China?”

He was particularly incensed by the actions of Khadir, who in recent polls was chosen by Quebecers as their favourite politician.

A political representative “should defend us, not contribute to our misery,” Archambault said.

Khadir, whose father is a regular at the protests, said his intention was to support a boycott of the products, not the store and that the focus should be on Israel’s policies toward the Palestinian people.

The co-leader of Québec Solidaire, Françoise David, said the party’s stance is to boycott Israeli products, not small merchants.

For Khadir, however, demonstrating must never be thought of as bullying.

“People who act on a political level have to have the utmost freedom to denounce any economic activity that they don’t think is morally justified,” he argued. “This should never be equated with bullying.”

He said trying to make a link between the two is like “political censorship.” And he blamed the political right for suggesting it.

Khadir and David have in the past protested outside Quebec’s liquor board because the stores sell Israeli wine.

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