McGill University has requested an order from the Superior Court to dismantle the pro-Palestinian encampment that has occupied its campus for nearly two weeks.
This was announced by McGill President Deep Saini in an email addressed to the university community on Friday afternoon.
If the Superior Court grants the University’s request, the order would force the people occupying the encampment to dismantle it, and prevent them from occupying the University’s downtown campus. “This order would also authorize the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) to carry out an intervention,” we can read in the email
The rector notably cited the “risks” to health and safety that the camp poses. “No representative of the University or of organizations such as the Montreal Fire Department was able to enter the camp to check whether it complied with health and safety standards,” mentioned Deep Saini, in his e-mail.
According to Deep Saini, the encampment could “give rise to unpredictable situations, compromising security”. The rector affirmed that the demonstrations and counter-demonstrations which the campus has been the scene of since the arrival of the encampment are causing “tensions” which “could escalate”.
Even if the order is issued, McGill University assured that it intended to “continue, in good faith” its discussions with the members of the encampment.