Anarchopanda

Unofficial mascot of 2012 Quebec student protests

Anarchopanda (French pronunciation: [anaʁkopɑ̃da]) is a giant panda and the unofficial mascot of the 2012 Quebec student protests, known for hugging both students and police officers.^[1]^[2] His first appearance was at a protest on May 8, 2012.^[3] He was portrayed by philosophy professor Julien Villeneuve at Montreal CEGEP Collège de Maisonneuve.

The Anarchopanda persona was discontinued in 2020 after Villeneuve was publicly accused of attempting sexual relations with a 16-year-old girl at his home in 2012, while she was inebriated and after she had repeatedly told him she wanted to leave. He initially responded on Facebook, saying "I am not a predator", but subsequently issued no response to the content of the allegations.^[4]

Julien Villeneuve

Julien Villeneuve, who dressed in a panda costume to portray Anarchopanda, has a strong affinity for Plato, Aristotle and Plotinus.^[5]^[6] A self-described anarcho-pacifist,^[7] he tried to create a buffer between police and students to avoid violence "without betraying [the students'] struggle or co-opting their discourse".

References

^ "Montreal Professor Is Costumed Crusader at Quebec Student Protests". The Chronicle of Higher Education. 2012-08-01. Retrieved 2022-12-18.
^ "Grève étudiante: un panda pour la gratuité scolaire". Huffington Post Quebec. 15 May 2012. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
^ Pindera, Loreen (June 22, 2016). "Quebec Superior Court strikes down Montreal's ban on masked protesters". CBC. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
^ "L'homme derrière Anarchopanda, la mascotte du printemps érable, aurait agressé et manipulé une fille de 16 ans". Québec Nouvelles (in Canadian French). Retrieved 2022-12-18.
^ Lalonde, Catherine (26 May 2012). "AnarchoPanda : la philosophie dans le trottoir". Le Devoir. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
^ SEIDMAN, KAREN (23 November 2012). "Skepticism trumps hope ahead of education summit". The Gazette. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
^ Guerchani, Sarra (23 May 2012). "Vedette des manifestations étudiantes, Qui est Anarchopanda?". TVA Nouvelles. Retrieved 27 May 2012.