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Police and student protesters clashed in downtown Montreal Tuesday night during marches denouncing the Quebec government's austerity policies.

Several thousand people marched along major downtown streets including Saint Catherine St. and Rene Levesque Blvd.

Police arrested at least four people on assault charges and say at least a half dozen police cruisers were vandalized.

A window at a C-I-B-C branch was shattered by vandals as protesters yelled at them to stop what they were doing. Police, who were pelted with various projectiles at various points, used pepper spray against a small group.

A similar protest hours earlier on Tuesday saw at least three people arrested for assault, while another was ticketed for wearing a mask.

Student groups are upset with stiff budget cuts expected in the Quebec budget to be delivered on Thursday. Protests denouncing the austerity plan have also been held in Quebec City.

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