MONTREAL - Police arrested a 24-year-old man Tuesday accused of beating a police officer during a violent protest outside the Quebec Liberal Party convention earlier this month.

Jean-Martin Champagne is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday afternoon in Victoriaville, Que., about 150 km east of Montreal.

He is charged with assault, unlawful assembly and hindering the work of a police officer.

Provincial police told QMI Agency that Champagne turned himself in accompanied by his lawyer Tuesday morning.
Police said that Champagne is "known to police."

The protest outside the Quebec Liberal Party convention on May 4 degenerated into a riot.

Police unleashed round after round of tear gas to disperse protesters, many of whom threw projectiles at officers.
Two young men were seriously injured and one of them lost an eye. Police arrested over 100 people.

Cops allege protesters surrounded and assaulted at least one provincial police officer.

Some student protesters have been widely criticized for their roles in violent student protests. However, the police in the province have also faced criticism.

The Quebec branch of Amnesty International called on the Quebec government Monday to open an independent inquiry into police conduct at protests, particularly during the May 4 protest in Victoriaville.

Amnesty said it was concerned by the high numbers of arrests, generous use of tear gas and the seriousness of some of the injuries suffered by people during protests since the student strike began over 90 days ago.

About one third of Quebec post-secondary students are on strike protesting the provincial government's plan to raise university tuition by $1,800 over seven years.