McGill asks police for help as pro-Palestinian encampment enters fourth day

CBC News

· Posted: Apr 30, 2024 8:52 AM EDT | Last Updated: 4 minutes ago

The president of McGill University says officials have called for police assistance after pro-Palestinian protesters refused to dismantle their encampment on the university's downtown Montreal campus. 

In a statement sent to McGill staff and students Tuesday, McGill University president Deep Saini said the university is resorting to the police after officials "failed to reach a resolution" with protesters Monday. 

"Encampments on campus property are outside of protected parameters, especially when they're presented as indefinite in term, and when many participants are not members of our university community," the statement reads. 

Shortly before 4 p.m. Monday, a McGill security staff member gave a "final warning," to demonstrators who have been on the university's lower field since Saturday. 

Protesters were asked to pack their belongings and that they "have no right to be here" and would have to leave the area. The McGill security employee warned that if they didn't comply, Montreal police would be called. 

Saini says the university has been in contact with the police since the onset of the encampment.

"Having to resort to police authority is a gut-wrenching decision for any university president," Saini said. "It is, by no means, a decision that I take lightly or quickly. In the present circumstances, however, I judged it necessary." 

Lawyer Neil Oberman, who said he represents two McGill students, is set to ask a judge for a provisional injunction against the encampment on Tuesday afternoon. The injunction request, expected to be filed at the Montreal courthouse at 2 p.m., will target various people currently protesting on campus, according to Oberman. McGill University is expected to be named as an interested party in the case. 

A spokesperson for Montreal police said that "no crime is being committed" at the encampment and the situation is a civil matter. The spokesperson said officers will continue to monitor the demonstration and are ready to enforce a court injunction if it is granted.