Updated: Protesters are tired, but morale is high at pro-Palestinian encampment

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A pro-Palestinian encampment on the grounds of McGill’s downtown campus entered its seventh day on Friday.

Concerns of potential violence from duelling demonstrations on Thursday proved unfounded and Montreal police say that while they are maintaining order and public safety, they are doing so “while maintaining rights and freedoms.”

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The encampment was quiet Friday morning, with only two security guards at the main gates on Sherbrooke St. and one at the University St. entrance.

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A few campers milled about, quietly chatting among themselves, but it was unclear how many remain in the encampment, which is surrounded by a makeshift enclosure covered with banners with such slogans such “UQAM pour la Palestine” and “You are Funding Genocide.”

Ali Salman, who identified himself as a spokesperson for the encampment, said Friday that the campers are a little tired but morale is high and they are confident they can stay as long as it takes to affect change. The administration’s offer a few days ago — to speak to the campers if the encampment is dismantled — is a sign the campers are making some progress, he said.

“We have seen that McGill has tried to take a step toward fulfilling” the campers demands, said Salman, who is a Concordia political science student. “They have said, ‘Dismantle the camp and we’ll talk.’ This is not something concrete or a guarantee for us. But this step from McGill gave us confidence that we can achieve more.‘”

Salman has not been spending the night at the camp, although he has been there morning to night since the start. He said the campers have no intention of leaving soon.

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“Regardless of what the premier or anybody has to say, we are here to stay as long as we can until we have our demands met.”

He said most of the 100 or so tents are still occupied.

Salman said Concordia students decided to join forces with McGill students for this action, because of McGill’s prominence in Canada and McGill’s history, although he acknowledged that most Canadian universities have investments that the campers argue support the actions of the Israeli government.

“We have seen that historically McGill has actually funded apartheid in South Africa, they have funded the genocide of the Indigenous population here, they have been on the wrong side of history pretty much their whole history. So we are here to change this. We are here to demand that they divest from something that is wrong, which is the genocide that is happening in Gaza,” he said. “We are asking McGill and of course Concordia … to divest from (companies) that support this genocide.”

McGill students went about their business Friday morning, mostly ignoring the camp, which is on the lawn, west of the main entrance.

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“We are not blocking anyone from going in and out of the university,” Salman said. “There is nothing hostile being done. We even have a kids’ play zone from 4 to 6 (p.m.) for parents to bring their kids to play, if only the weather would cooperate.”

Ruby Belson, a Concordia student and Jewish Montrealer at the camp Friday morning, let campers know that she and other supporters have raised $1,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to support the camp. She said the money was raised in seven hours on Thursday, and is no longer open because, she said, it is unknown how long the camp will remain and the fund is to provide necessities only.

Belson is among several Jewish people who have joined the camp or visit regularly to provide material and moral support. She said there are others in the Jewish community who are concerned with what is happening in Gaza but are reticent to speak out.

“I am so proud to be a Jewish person, (but) I am not proud of what is going on in our communities in terms of political and social justice,” Belson said. “I do think that there are a lot of people who are afraid to speak out, people in my own family, people I know as friends, because when you are a community and when you go against the grain, you can be isolated.”

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She said she and her friends have been providing things campers have requested, such as hand warmers, rain gear, N-95 masks and hot food.

Friday morning’s calm followed tense hours on Thursday during which pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel supporters held competing demonstrations in front the encampment, separated by a line of uniformed police on foot and horseback. There were no clashes between the groups and by 4 p.m. most of the demonstrators had left.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Quebec Premier François Legault called on Montreal police to dismantle the “illegal” encampment. The premier’s comments drew no direct reply from police officials, though the Montreal force did take the unusual step of issuing of statement on Thursday evening which explained their ground rules for dealing with the encampment.

Saying they are aware of a decision by a Superior Court justice not to grant an injunction that would have forced the encampment to leave and are “closely following” the legal debate surrounding the occupation, the police force said they are maintaining contact with McGill and the protesters and are following the “evolution of the situation.”

“Let’s remember that the role of police in such a situation is to maintain the peace, good order and public safety while respecting rights and freedoms.”

The protesters are calling on McGill to divest from its investments in Israel. The university has replied that it is ready to discuss the issue, but only after the encampment has been dismantled.

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