More than a hundred students and pro-Palestinian demonstrators barricaded themselves Thursday in the James administrative pavilion of McGill University, a few meters from the main encampment set up since the end of April. Following a muscular intervention by the police, fifteen of them were arrested.
A metal fence was erected in front of the building’s entrance, where protesters stood in front of banners, one of which read “McGill genocide.” Other banners were hung from a window on the third floor of the building.
In a statement, the demonstrators explained that they acted as part of the #Escalate4Rafah call to action. As violence escalates in Gaza, and particularly in the city of Rafah, they reiterate their demand that the university cut all ties with Israel.
McGill University “strongly condemns” the attitude of pro-Palestinian demonstrators, who engaged in “illegal tactics,” says the establishment in a press release published Friday morning. McGill management denounced “the use of any form of intimidation, aggression and harassment or illegal tactics.”
She said she was ready to continue negotiations with the protesters, but criticized them for withdrawing from the talks.
Thursday evening, the university called on the police to put an end to the occupation. Shortly after the demonstration began, police officers entered the building and one of them removed one of the banners.
About two hours after the start of the demonstration, to the right of the administrative building, around twenty police officers confronted the demonstrators, most of whom shouted “shame, shame” in unison.
According to management’s version of events, protesters who entered the James Administration Building on Thursday “vandalized interior and exterior portions of the building, barricaded themselves inside a room, and damaged furniture”. The police speak of misdeeds such as vandalism and graffiti.
“Some employees were forced to seek refuge, safe from protesters who were banging on doors and making threats,” management said, calling what happened Thursday “disturbing events.” The Canadian Press saw protesters being escorted out of the building by police, but could not independently validate McGill’s allegations about what took place inside.
However, no police officer or citizen was injured, according to the SVPM.
An “escalation”
In the opinion of the management of McGill University, the events that occurred on Thursday are only “the most recent in the escalation” underway in recent weeks.
Since the pro-Palestinian encampment was set up on its campus in late April, the university says masked protesters have visited “more than once” the personal residences of members of its senior administration.
“The offices of a university team were also targeted. A table was set up with rotten food accompanied by a poster on which appeared the name of each member of the team and handprints painted in red, evoking blood,” alleged the management.
The university also says it witnessed altercations between protesters and students who came to take photos on campus after their convocation ceremony, which was moved to the Bell Center due to the presence of the encampment. “Far from being peaceful, these gestures aim to threaten, coerce and create fear. They are completely unacceptable,” argued management.
According to the university, protesters rejected its most recent offer to continue dialogue last week.
“In many other establishments, camp leaders have put aside their differences in order to find common ground with management. However, at McGill, the offer – although comparable to that of other universities which reached an agreement – was rejected,” she indicated.
Strong police intervention
After the confrontation to the right of the administrative building, the police attacked some members of the crowd and threw chemical irritants to disperse them. Several ran away, covering their mouths and eyes. Shortly after, protesters chanted, “Why are you wearing riot gear? There is no violence here. »
Police in riot gear forced demonstrators out of the administration building, pushing them back toward the encampment below.
After a tense standoff lasting about 45 minutes, police fired a second round of chemical irritants and violently pushed protesters away from the building using batons and shields. The police then formed a line, blocking access to the building.
A woman holding a loudspeaker told the crowd of about 200 people: “If you are hurt, go to the camp, otherwise go out into the street.” »
A representative of the group, Rama Al Malah, who clarified that she did not participate in the occupation of the administrative building, maintained that the action carried out by the demonstrators was intended to denounce “McGill’s complicity” in the ongoing genocide in Gaza. “We saw our students [être] brutalized and arrested inside and the students basically refused to leave,” recounted Mme Al Malah.
The intervention of the Montreal City Police Service (SPVM) ended around 10:30 p.m. Thursday.
At the end of the evening, SPVM spokesperson Véronique Dubuc indicated that 13 people had been arrested for breaking and entering and two for obstructing the work of police officers. “Several criminal offenses were committed, including attacks on police officers,” she said, speaking of “Various objects thrown in their direction”, including “pyrotechnics, rocks and blows with sticks.” »