it ain't the first time....there's been many..
the 1st major 'emeute' was in the early 50's after Rocket Richard had been banned from the play-offs for decking a ref in Detroit. It was also the 1st 'political' uprising since the 1837 rebellion.

Vive la difference.. but too bad for the shopkeepers and car owners.... the cops ought to know by now....

I remember playing in old Montreal at Le Hotel Nelson on St.Jean Baptiste day in '74. The band was Toubabou. The hotel held about 250 people jammed in. It was advertised on the radio. 50,000 revellers showed up in Place Jacques Cartier expecting a free, outdoor show..
49,750 of them couldn't get in the hotel... so they made their own show.... fires and all.. the riot police (real thugs back then) joined the party, truncheons, tear gas and all...

When we finally left the hotel around 4 am... it was a wasteland. Came close to getting my head cracked by a huge City Goon, luckily I was smart enough to fall in behind a group of older, naive tourists exiting a restaurant in the area... phew.... Quebec sait l'faire

After that event, major parties were planned and held outdoors on June 24th. The following year on Mount Royal...400,000 showed up.. I avoided that one...took a long time to clean up after that spectacle

now the events are smaller and dispersed all over... but that rebellious revellry lies just under the surface... wait 'til the next Stanley Cup...... and I mean wait, and wait and wait....