Pro-Palestine encampments erupt at universities across Canada

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After over a week of pro-Palestine protests at US universities, encampments have also started popping up on Canadian campuses.

Around 100 students at McGill University in Montreal launched their encampment over the weekend, demanding that the university divest from companies with ties to Israel.

The school has reportedly invested millions of dollars in arms-producing and military companies with connections to the Israeli military. Daily Hive has asked McGill to verify these numbers.

In a statement on Monday morning, McGill said that the number of people who have set up tents on campus has tripled since Saturday.

The institution stated that many of them are not members of the university’s community and claimed that it saw video evidence of some people “using unequivocally antisemitic language and intimidating behaviour,” which it condemns.

McGill says it has spoken with the lawyers of students participating in the encampment, which it says violates the school’s policies and the law.

“Late in the day yesterday, we were informed through their lawyers that the students have refused to carry on these discussions and did not bring any proposals or suggestions to further the dialogue,” reads the statement. “They have instead indicated that they intended to remain on campus indefinitely.”

In Ontario, the University of Toronto and the University of Ottawa are also anticipating pro-Palestine protests and encampments.

UofT sent an email to its students on Sunday, warning them of the repercussions.

People have slammed the Vice Provost’s statement, which was supposed to remind the university of its “commitment to free expression and lawful and peaceful protest, as well as the necessary limits that accompany those freedoms.”

People have sighted fences at the university’s King’s College Circle and temporary closure notices.

“As we prepare for Convocation, these grounds are temporarily closed for protection due to concerns about unauthorized activity,” a notice states.

The University of Ottawa has also released a statement about possible encampments on campus.

“While peaceful protest is permitted in appropriate public spaces on campus according to our policies and regulations, encampments and occupations will not be tolerated,” it reads.

Many criticized the university for its remarks.

Others applauded the institution’s statement.

And over on the West Coast, an encampment supporting Palestinian human rights began on Monday morning at the University of British Columbia (UBC).

UBC spokesperson Matthew Ramsey told Daily Hive in an emailed statement that the school “values freedom of expression and respects peaceful protest.”

However, it will monitor and assess the situation on the Vancouver campus and liaise with the RCMP.

“Any actions that create a health and safety risk, impede the university community (students, faculty and staff) from continuing learning, research, work and other activities on campus, or damage university property will be taken very seriously and investigated,” said Ramsey.

“UBC’s Student Code of Conduct and expectations of employees clearly prohibit such behaviours. Visitors, students, faculty and staff are expected to follow the university’s rules.”

This comes amid heightened tensions, six months after Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared the country at war after the Gaza Strip’s governing militant group, Hamas, fired thousands of rockets, and fighters infiltrated the border in several locations.

The attack killed 1,400 people, mostly Israeli civilians.

The Canadian government has maintained that Israel has a right to defend itself against Hamas, which it classifies as a “radical Islamist-nationalist terrorist organization.”

As of Sunday, authorities have reportedly lost count of the death toll in Gaza. It surpassed 30,000 at the end of February.

UN experts have described the Israeli government’s bombardment as a “mass ethnic cleansing” and a “genocide.”

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