Montreal police in riot gear made several arrests last night as a Quebec student protest over tuition fee hikes turned violent. At least one protester and a police officer were hurt in the melee.

Police say the demonstrator suffered a leg injury from a stun grenade while the officer received a slight injury near an eye from a projectile.

Thousands turned out to denounce a recent decision to raise tuition by three per cent per a year, with many students calling for a tuition freeze.

The noisy but fairly orderly march turned rowdy near Montreal's Convention Centre when several bottles and chunks of ice were thrown at police. Windows were smashed at a bank and a hotel and police said some patrol cars had their windows smashed or defaced with spray paint.

Police confirmed at least three people were arrested, but that number was expected to rise as more people were taken into custody.

The march was a rekindling of nightly protests during last year's student unrest. Most were peaceful, but some marches turned violent and led to mass arrests.

The Parti Quebecois cancelled the Liberals' plan after it took power following the Sept. 4 provincial election. The PQ's increase will raise tuition by $70 per year.

Tuesday night's protest was spurred after last month's long-awaited summit on education where student leaders had hoped to win a freeze on tuition.
 
A demonstration took place on Feb. 26 after the government announced its three-per-cent-per-year increases.

Premier Pauline Marois left the summit proclaiming an end to social unrest but within hours student marchers were clashing with police

(The Canadian Press)