Gore also promoted anti-French sentiment with political writings in Massachusetts newspapers.
Many of the other speakers sought to reach out to the United States, where anti-French sentiment has been running high.
The turnout may have been related to solidarity against American anti-French sentiment, which was a common theme for many of the protesters.
He also has insisted that anti-French sentiment in the United States is a passing phenomenon.
French racism became prevalent throughout the colony rather quickly, and anti-French sentiment followed and would be strengthened in the late 1940s.
"We're currently witnessing a wave of anti-French sentiment in the press that we haven't seen since '86 or '95," he said.
(There was no indication that anti-French sentiment related to the war had anything to do with the closing.)
The government called off the mayhem after a few days, but for many, the anti-French sentiment behind it lingers.
But only very few absentees cited anti-French sentiment for staying away.
But it has also been nervous about the rise of strong anti-French sentiment in the United States.