2 Canadian universities targeted by pro-Palestinian protesters

By Barry Ellsworth

TRENTON, Canada (AA) - At least two Canadian universities continued to be targeted by pro-Palestinian demonstrators on Tuesday since encampments were set up earlier.

It appears the protesters are following the example of pro-Palestinian demonstrators who have inundated several US schools with encampments.

McGill University in Montreal said officials tried to have the demonstrators “gather their belongings and leave the premises” but they “failed to reach a resolution” and have called for police assistance, the university said Tuesday.

It said many demonstrators were not McGill students.

“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,” a McGill official said in a statement reported by CBC News.

Neil Oberman, the lawyer representing some McGill students, was prepared to ask a judge Tuesday for an injunction to close down the encampment.

The court filing accuses five pro-Palestinian groups -- Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights McGill, Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights Concordia, Montreal4Palestine, Palestinian Youth Movement and Alliance4Palestine - QC of “wilfully and knowingly” pursuing “hostile activities under the guise of anonymity” the CBC reported

But Montreal police said, “No crime is being committed” and it is a civil matter. Police said, however, they will continue to monitor the situation.

Meanwhile, the University of Toronto and the University of Ottawa issued warnings Monday to pro-Palestinians not to set up encampments on campuses.

“While peaceful protest is permitted in appropriate public spaces on campus according to our policies and regulations, encampments and occupations will not be tolerated,” Eric Bercier, Associate vice-president of student affairs, said in a statement on the University of Ottawa website.

Student Vice-Provost Sandy Welsh of the University of Toronto (U of T) noted that “U of T’s lands are private property. Unauthorized activities such as encampments or the occupation of university buildings are considered trespassing,” reported the Ottawa Citizen newspaper.