MONTREAL — Chanting “long live WikiLeaks” and “down with censorship,” about 35 protesters staged a small but noisy demonstration in downtown Montreal Saturday to show their support of the controversial whistle-blowing website.

“Attempts to censor are wrong,” said Nadim Kobeissi, a Concordia University student and one of the organizers of the protest. “The Internet is proving that it’s ridiculous to (try to) censor. But that doesn’t excuse that many governments around the world are attempting to hold journalists, messengers, for engaging in investigative journalism that is typical and legal.

“If you’re attempting to censor the Internet, what’s next? Are you going to censor The New York Times? Le Monde? El Pais?”

Kobeissi made headlines last week after deciding to create a mirror website for WikiLeaks after the original was shut down.

“There are now 2,000 (mirror sites),” he said proudly.

The protesters, carrying homemade placards and escorted by police vehicles, marched to the United States consulate, where they jeered the U.S. for imprisoning Bradley Manning, the U.S. armed forces computer expert who is charged with leaking confidential government information to the WikiLeaks site.

Montreal’s protest was held the same day as similar demonstrations in Ireland, the Netherlands and the U.S.

Further protests are planned in the coming days in Germany, Austria and Australia.

Montreal Gazette