The pro-Palestinian encampment on McGill University’s downtown Montreal campus can stay, that’s according to a Quebec judge’s decision on Wednesday – rejecting the school’s request for an injunction to dismantle it.
The university had asked a judge to order the protesters to stop camping on or occupying its grounds and to authorize Montreal police to assist the school in dismantling the encampment if called upon.
McGill said the encampment posed a “security, safety and public health risk” and has caused tensions to escalate on campus.
The arguments were heard at the Montreal courthouse on Monday and it was up to a Superior Court judge to weigh McGill’s rights to their property and the students’ rights to freedom of expression.
On Tuesday afternoon, day 18 of the encampment, protesters there told CityNews that they were staying put.
“We see this injunction really as a distraction from the real reason why we are here which is because there’s an ongoing genocide,” said the student participating in the encampment on Tuesday.
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The injunction request cited what they called “fierce verbal exchanges” between protesters and counter-protesters earlier this month and possible further clashes with counter protesters.
McGill lawyers on Monday said people are allowed to protest there, but that there’s a limit between protesting with a group and slogans and building a camp that is fenced off and structured in an almost permanent way.
“We have confidence that this injunction will not pass,” said the student on Tuesday. “It’s the second injunction that is being placed on this encampment and SPVM representatives have affirmed that our encampment does not violate any laws.”
Montreal police have been monitoring the camp and made it clear any intervention on their part will be based on the camp’s legal situation.
Meanwhile, participants gathered in front of the encampment for a rally on Tuesday afternoon, with chants, like “disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest.” They are calling on McGill University to sever ties with businesses they say are linked to Israel and Israeli institutions.
“This is what has pushed these students to take these exceptional measures essentially and to make sure that their demands are heard and heeded,” the student said.
McGill university said they won’t comment until a decision comes in. CityNews reached out to McGill for a comment.