The fate of the solidarity camp for Palestinians in Gaza, set up on the campus of McGill University since the end of April, is once again in the hands of the court. A request for a temporary injunction filed by McGill, which requests the dismantling of the camp, is being argued this morning at the Montreal courthouse.
Basically, the University’s lawyers will argue that the encampment poses a danger to the health and safety, not only of students and staff, but also of those who have been living there for two weeks.
The university educational establishment will ask the Superior Court to order the removal of all tents, barriers, fences and other structures erected on its campus in downtown Montreal, near Sherbrooke Street. She also wants the Court to prevent any form of camping or occupation of the site, as well as any demonstration that would be in contravention of the University’s rules and policies.
She maintains that she does not want to prevent any demonstration on her campus, but wants it to be done according to the rules. An encampment of a hundred tents does not respect its policies, she maintains.
Monday morning, Superior Court Judge Marc St-Pierre began hearing the request. From the outset, it seemed uncomfortable that the defenders were listed as “Jane Doe and John Doe.” » For him, they are not defendants, he told McGill’s lawyers.
“If I don’t have defendants, I’m not sure I can pass judgment,” the magistrate said.
But we do not know the identity of those who occupy the camp, replied M.e Jacques Darche, who represents McGill University. They do not say their names and some are even hidden on purpose, it is written in the request for an injunction.
A crowd of lawyers appeared before the judge Monday morning: there were those from Jewish or Palestinian organizations, the McGill Association of Law Professors and that of the Montreal City Police Department, whose agents could be called to intervene if the judgment orders the dismantling of the camp.
According to Me Julius Grey, who represents the organization Palestinians and Jews United, “there is no evidence of danger, of problem [sanitaire] or any violence. »
The message sent by those participating in the encampment does not express a “Jewish or Palestinian opinion,” he said outside the courtroom. And it’s important to make their voices heard, he added.
The Montreal police had not seen fit to intervene until now since no criminal act had been committed, she said.
Last week, two students also filed a request for an injunction to limit the space where pro-Palestine demonstrations could take place on campus: they failed.
While affirming that the demonstrators are “illegally” occupying the McGill land by camping there, Judge Chantal Masse of the Superior Court indicated in her judgment that she saw no urgency to act to dismantle this encampment, while the classes and the holding of exams are not jeopardized by the demonstrators. Access to the buildings is also not blocked, according to the evidence presented.