Montreal police clear pro-Palestinian camp in city’s financial district – JURIST

Montreal police on Friday broke up a pro-Palestinian camp that had been located at Victoria Square in the city’s financial district. Police were acting on orders from the city of Montreal, whose mayor is Valérie Plante. Plante said a municipal ordinance prohibiting unauthorized use of public spaces was applied in the case.

The location of the warehouse was strategic as it was close to the headquarters of pension fund company CDPQ. The aim was to pressure the company to withdraw from Israel-related businesses.

The clearing of the two-week-old camp began early at 5 a.m. and lasted until after 8 a.m. Both local police and municipal workers were involved in clearing the tents, and protesters were allowed to return to collect their belongings. While Plante said the entire process was calm and cooperative, one protester, Emma Jaubert, told a news agency that police were aggressive in the clearing.

Plante argued that while all Canadians have the right to protest for any reason, indefinitely restricting access to a public space is unacceptable for administrative and public policy reasons.

Pro-Palestinian camps have sprung up on university campuses in Canada and the United States, all of which are controversial due to their potential to exacerbate ethnic, regional and religious differences. The current camp on the McGill University campus began in late April. University administration has since continually attempted to shut down the camp, fearing it could cause divisions on campus. Following the clearing of the Victoria Square camp, the only major pro-Palestinian camp left in the city is the one on the McGill University campus.

In June, the Office of the President and Vice-Chancellor released an update on the situation, highlighting safety concerns and the offer made to protesters. The three-point offer included “reviewing divestment from weapons manufacturers, funding at-risk scientists, and increased investment disclosure,” but was ultimately rejected. Since then, university president Deep Saini has called the encampment “an illegal occupation, not a peaceful protest.” After the Victoria Square encampment was cleared, Saini expressed that “he firmly believes the city and SPVM will remain consistent in their approach and move quickly to clear the encampment (at McGill) as well.”

Previously, the Quebec Superior Court denied McGill University an injunction to clear the pro-Palestinian camp on its campus. The court found that there was no reason for the court to intervene because there was no violence and the university could reschedule its spring graduation ceremonies.