Montreal

Man discharges pepper spray in Montreal Metro, shuts down 3 lines in rush hour

Police are reviewing security camera footage after a man entered the Berri-UQAM metro station early Wednesday morning and discharged pepper spray.

The Green, Yellow and Orange lines were all stopped for just under half an hour

The Green, Orange and Yellow lines were all stopped for about half an hour on Wednesday morning to allow the pepper spray to dissipate. (Radio-Canada)

Police are reviewing security camera footage after a man discharged pepper spray in the Berri-UQAM Metro station early Wednesday morning, causing three Metro lines to shut down for just under half an hour. 

Andrée-Anne Picard, a spokesperson for the SPVM, said that police got a call at 6:45 a.m. about a man in his 30s who discharged the spray. Picard said the spray appeared to have been discharged for "no reason."

Three Metro lines were shut down for about 27 minutes to allow the air to clear after several people were affected by the spray at Berri station, according to Isabelle Tremblay, spokesperson for Montreal's city transit agency.

The Green Line was shut between Lionel-Groulx and Pie-IX, the Orange Line was shut between Lionel-Groulx and Beaubien and the Yellow Line was shut down completely.

Service resumed around 7:15 a.m.