Montreal police make their way around an overturned burning trailer during an anti-police brutality protest on Monday. (Patrick Sanfaçon/Montreal La Presse/Canadian Press)Dozens of protesters were detained after bottles and firecrackers were thrown at police officers during an annual police brutality demonstration in Montreal on Monday evening.

Hundreds of protesters gathered for the march which began around 5 p.m. outside Pie-IX Metro station in the city’s east end. Some could be seen wearing gas masks and bandanas covering their faces.

Ahead of the march, organizers made an appeal for calm from both demonstrators and police.

But, as demonstrators wound their way through the streets of the city’s Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district several cars, including police cruisers, were damaged, said police.

A pickup truck full of construction material was also set on fire, according to reports.

Police finally intervened about an hour and a half after the march began, handcuffing protesters and herding them onto Montreal Transport Corporation buses.

The protesters were expected to face charges including unlawful assembly and disturbing the peace.

This year marked the 14th annual protest and as during previous years, organizers refused to disclose their planned route to police.

The protest has developed a reputation for violence and vandalism, with 221 people arrested last year. Most of those arrested were released with fines, but some were charged with mischief, theft and possession of weapons.

Denouncing 'social cleansing'

Sophie Sénécal, spokeswoman for the Collective Opposed to Police Brutality, which organized the march, said the departure point is symbolic.

Montreal police arrested dozens of people, including this man, during Monday evening's protest. Several protesters threw beer bottles and firecrackers at police and their horses. (Patrick Sanfaçon/Canadian Press/Montreal La Presse)She said her group wants to denounce the "social cleansing" of the downtown area, during which she says authorities have pushed out homeless people, prostitutes and others.

With nowhere else to go, she said many have moved into neighbouring areas such as Hochelaga-Maisonneuve. This year, organizers said they also expected to face additional pressure from police after 11 police cars were vandalized overnight Friday at a police station in the city’s St. Henri district.

The vandals also spray-painted messages in English on the building, said police, who speculated that there may have been a connection between the vandalism and Monday’s march against police brutality.

Before the protest, police had asked members of the public to remove loose rocks and other debris, which could potentially be used as projectiles, from around their homes and businesses.