McGill University requested the intervention of police forces to dismantle the pro-Palestinian encampment on its campus.
This is what the administration announced in an email sent to the media Tuesday morning.
” Yesterday [lundi]at the end of the afternoon, noting the absence of a resolution, the management of the University took the decision to undertake the last step included in its protocol, and requested the intervention of the police forces. she indicates.
Since Saturday, around a hundred students have camped on the university grounds, demanding that the administration cut all ties – financial and academic – with Israel.
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
“We informed the participants that the installation of this camp was not authorized and gave them the necessary time to collect their belongings and leave the premises,” maintains the University.
The Minister of Higher Education, Pascale Déry, is “in contact” with the University and “closely monitoring” the situation. “We have just learned of McGill’s decision to contact the SPVM. We will let the police do their job,” said his press secretary, Simon Savignac.
“We know that the encampment does not respect McGill policy. It is up to the university to make the decisions it deems necessary to ensure the safety of students and enforce its policies,” he added.
On Monday, rumors circulated inside the encampment about an imminent dismantling.
“We are ready for any confrontation,” declared a spokesperson for the demonstration, specifying that students were “ready to form strike pickets”.
According to the University, the campers did not make any proposals aimed at “advancing the dialogue.”
She also claims to have watched videos in which demonstrators make “blatantly anti-Semitic remarks”.
“I can say with certainty that there was no anti-Semitism, and I speak as a Jew,” replied an activist to The Press Monday.
With Tommy Chouinard, The Press
More details to come.