McGill University threatens police action to clear pro-Palestinian encampment

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Universities across the country are dealing with growing pro-Palestinian protests as McGill threatened to call in police to dismantle an encampment and officials on campuses in Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver warned their students to remain within the bounds of the law.

On Monday, McGill University declared the pro-Palestinian encampment on its campus illegal and denounced alleged antisemitic behaviour among protesters, who remained peaceful over the weekend while the number of tents increased significantly.

In a statement, McGill said the encampment, first erected Saturday with about 20 tents, violates the university’s policies and the law. It said it discussed “conditions in place to ensure safety as well as a timeline to remove the tents” with lawyers for McGill students but that students “did not bring any proposals or suggestions to further the dialogue.”

Sasha Robson, a McGill student and protest organizer, said the university “will only negotiate on us leaving” and has “not engaged substantially in any negotiation about our actual demands.”

On Monday morning, dozens of tents surrounded by banner-covered fences were set up on the downtown Montreal campus lawn. Hundreds of people, including students and professors from other institutions, were there to protest Israel’s attacks on Gaza and support divestment demands.

“Our fundamental demand is total divestment from all companies supporting or complicit in the current genocide and occupation of Palestine,” said Ms. Robson. Protesters are also asking for no disciplinary action against them for their activism, with many reluctant to speak on the record, fearing academic or other repercussions.

The university said in its statement that there was “video evidence of some people using unequivocally antisemitic language and intimidating behaviour” on Sunday, which McGill said it condemns and will investigate. Asked about specifics, the university did not respond.

In a separate statement Monday, McGill said it will ramp up “efforts to de-escalate before moving to steps that involve police assistance.”

Montreal police spokesperson Véronique Dubuc said the department is in communication with McGill but there have been no arrests or any incidents involving protesters thus far.

Similar encampments on U.S. university campuses have grown in recent days, leading to clashes between protesters and counterprotesters as police and university officials struggle to maintain order. In New York, Columbia University began suspending students after activists defied a deadline to leave.

Students have dug in at several high-profile American universities, with standoffs at Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, Yale and others. Other Canadian campuses have followed suit.

At the University of Ottawa, protesters held a sit-in that they’re planning to continue daily, according to organizers. They are calling for the university to disclose its investments, divest from companies connected to the Israeli war effort and occupation and break ties with Israeli universities.

Eric Bercier, the university’s associate vice-president for student affairs, said in an e-mail to the campus community that while peaceful protest is permitted, “encampments and occupations will not be tolerated.”

At the University of British Columbia, protesters have set up at least 20 tents at MacInnes field on the university’s main Vancouver campus. In a statement, UBC spokesman Matthew Ramsey said the university respects the right to peaceful protest but those actions must be within the bounds of university policy and the law.

“UBC will be monitoring and assessing the situation on the Vancouver campus. We will also liaise with the RCMP on this matter,” Mr. Ramsey said.

B.C. Premier David Eby said while a university campus is a protected space for free speech, it should feel safe for everyone, especially for Jewish students during a time they feel “particularly alone on campuses.”

“I have no reason to doubt that the leadership, both student and administration, at UBC will find that balance between ensuring students are safe and making sure that atmosphere of free exchange of ideas can continue to take place on campus,” he said.

At the University of Toronto, a temporary fence was erected on Saturday to block access to the lawn at King’s College Circle at the heart of its St. George campus. In a message sent over the weekend, vice-provost for students Sandy Welsh said the university is committed to free expression and the right to engage in peaceful demonstrations, but that encampments or the occupation of university buildings is trespassing.

“Any student involved in unauthorized activities that contravenes university policies or the law may be subject to consequences,” Prof. Welsh said.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller, whose riding includes McGill’s downtown campus, told reporters Monday that “the right to protest and the right to free speech is excessively important, particularly in an academic setting” but that such protests should never include hate speech.

Richard Janda, a McGill law professor who observed the protest on campus Monday, said he did not witness any antisemitic or violent behaviour. “I’ve certainly seen some slogans that might offend some people,” but “the kinds of things that are being said here, even if I don’t necessarily agree with them all, are things that represent free speech,” he said.

In a video posted on social media Monday by the StartUp Nation, a Concordia University student group advocating for Israel, protesters at McGill appear to be chanting “leave Palestinian land and go back to Europe” and “all the Zionists are racists, all the Zionists are terrorists.” The footage does not show what preceded the interaction.

B’nai Brith, a human rights organization and “staunch defender of the State of Israel” described the McGill encampment and other similar movements as a “rising tide of antisemitism.” In an online letter campaign, the organization called for postsecondary institution leaders “to take decisive and immediate action against demonstrations, riots, encampments, and other antisemitic activities to ensure the safety and well-being of all students.”

Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip has killed more than 34,000 people over the past six months, according to Gaza health authorities. The war was triggered by a Hamas-led attack on Israeli towns on Oct. 7 that left 1,200 people dead and about 250 taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.