Pro-Palestinian protesters at McGill barricaded themselves inside the main administration building downtown on Thursday afternoon, and by early evening Montreal police (SPVM) had gone inside to escort civilians out and used tear gas to disperse the crowd outside.
“The intervention squad went inside to secure the place. Civilians were safely escorted outside. The situation is under control for the moment,” said SPVM spokesperson Sabrina Gauthier at around 7:15 p.m. “We are still establishing a dialogue with the protesters inside. Arrests will follow.”
About 100 protesters gathered in front of the James Administration Building. Metal fencing was erected in front of the building’s entrance, with protesters standing in front holding banners.
Police in riot gear confronted the crowd outside and fired tear gas and pepper spray in an effort to disperse them shortly after 7 p.m.
SPVM officers also blocked several other entrances to the campus, preventing people from entering.
Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) McGill said in a press release Thursday afternoon that the protest was “part of the global call to action #Escalate4Rafah.”
In social media videos posted in the afternoon, protesters could be seen waving a Palestinian flag from the building window and holding a sign that said, “You could have divested 41 days ago.”
“Students have blockaded themselves inside the building, taking ownership of their university,” wrote SPHR McGill.
In a short email statement earlier, McGill had said, “Protesters are currently occupying the main administration building on the downtown campus of McGill University. Police and security services are on site. Protesters have set up a barricade outside the building.”
SPHR McGill claims that the university invests over $20 million in technology and weapons manufacturing companies that are directly involved in operations in Gaza. “Moreover, the university is involved in exchange programs with Israeli universities.”
SPHR McGill listed Lockheed Martin, Elbit Systems, and Thales as examples of companies they want McGill to divest from and boycott.
“This barricade is part of a wave of mass movement of students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters standing in solidarity with Gaza,” and demanding that universities divest and end all ties with Israel and its universities.
A pro-Palestinian encampment at McGill has been set-up on the lower field of their downtown campus since April 27 – and demonstrators have said they have no intention of leaving. Two emergency injunction requests by the university to dismantle the camp were rejected by Quebec Superior Court judges.
Last week, McGill president Deep Saini published a letter calling for a stronger police response following escalating tensions. Saini listed incidents where protesters had followed university administrators to their homes and demonstrated outside.
“The McGill administration has the power and ability to answer the democratically-articulated demands of the student body, and as long as they refuse, students will continue standing up,” write SPHR McGill.
-With files from The Canadian Press