Anarchopanda () is a giant panda and the unofficial mascot of the

2012 Quebec student protests The 2012 Quebec student protests (movement) were a series of student protests led by student unions such as the Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante (ASSÉ), the Fédération étudiante universitaire du Québec, and the Fédéra ...

, known for hugging both students and police officers. His first appearance was at a protest on May 8, 2012. 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.

Julien Villeneuve

Julien Villeneuve, who dressed in a panda costume to portray Anarchopanda, has a strong affinity for Plato, Aristotle and Plotinus. A self-described

anarcho-pacifist Anarcho-pacifism, also referred to as anarchist pacifism and pacifist anarchism, is an anarchist school of thought that advocates for the use of peaceful, non-violent forms of resistance in the struggle for social change. Anarcho-pacifism rejects ...

, he tried to create a buffer between police and students to avoid violence "without betraying he students'struggle or co-opting their discourse".

References

External links

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Anarchopanda
on Facebook Bear mascots Student protests in Canada {{Canada-poli-stub Canadian anarchists