Quebec’s labour minister says he will file a complaint with Montreal police after protesters used a guillotine on an effigy resembling him at a demonstration last Saturday.

A video of a figure with blond hair and glasses being beheaded went viral on social media.

Labour Minister Jean Boulet told journalists at the Quebec legislature Tuesday that the event put him on edge and he felt threatened.

Montreal police said Monday it would investigate the incident but did not give further details.

A representative of a union that participated in the labour protest, l’Alliance, said the effigy was not meant to represent Boulet but rather a member of the general elite.

Four union federations known as the CSD, the CSN, the CSQ and the FTQ, issued a statement saying they completely distance themselves from the use of the guillotine.

— With files from Lia Lévesque in Montreal

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 5, 2026.

The Canadian Press