Quebec Superior Court granted a wide-ranging temporary injunction on Wednesday to McGill University, banning protests and disruptions on its campus – or within five metres of its buildings.
The 10 day-injunction comes after protesters set up an encampment at the downtown campus for more than 70 days, and most recently, Montreal students staged a walkout on Monday in support of Palestinians. Some windows of a McGill building were smashed Oct. 7, a fence that had been put in place to secure the area brought down by protesters, and other vandalism was reported. Police have said no arrests were made.
The new order is aimed at the McGill chapter of the Students for Palestine’s Honour and Resistance (SPHR) – but also applies to anyone who knows about the injunction.
“McGill sought the injunction to protect its academic mission and to defend students’ and instructors’ right to learn and work in an environment that is safe, stable, and suitable for teaching, learning, and research,” reads a press release by McGill. “At the same time, McGill continues to affirm the right of all community members to protest lawfully and within the limits of today’s judgment.”
According to the injunction, members of the SPHR and any person aware of the new ruling must not “block, obstruct, or hinder” any part of the entrance or exit of buildings that belong to McGill (classes, labs, offices). It also extends to streets or walkways directly connected to the entrances and exits.
Additionally, they cannot harass, intimidate, or threaten any McGill university members, visitors or workers.
Lastly, anyone aware of the injunction cannot disrupt the peace or engage in public disturbances, including in classrooms and labs.
McGill says they support the rights of all community members to express their views through peaceful assembly, including demonstrations and protests.
However, the university claims that there needs to be a balance by also offering the best education possible and by carrying out research and scholarly activities.
“We have been the site of obstructive protests barring students and instructors from accessing classrooms and buildings. On Monday, we saw acts of violence, vandalism, and intimidation. In announcing its Oct. 7 to 11 ‘Week of Rage,’ SPHR stated that there must be ‘no business or classes as usual.’ This clearly violates the fundamental academic rights of students, instructors, and all McGillians,” reads a statement by McGill. “This injunction does not prevent anyone from exercising their rights to free speech and free assembly, on campus or elsewhere, within the limits imposed by the court.”
SPHR McGill posted to its social media on Wednesday saying in part, “On October 7th, thousands of students and community members rallied together and reclaimed our campuses, smashing through McGill’s fences and flooding the lower field.”
Some of the protesters vandalized a McGill building under construction on des Pins and Aylmer. No arrests were made.
“The site was met with shattered glass and paint, affirming that there will be no peace so long as McGill continues to partner with institutions complicit in genocide. On this monumental day, we loudly affirm our commitment to the undying resistance of Palestine. Until divestment and liberation, the students of Montreal will never be silenced,” the post continued.
This week is the peak mid-term exam period – with 13,600 exams scheduled.