McGill University says its downtown campus is closed on Wednesday because it is dismantling the pro-Palestinian encampment on the lower field.
“The encampment is the site of profound health and safety risks that continue to grow in scope and severity,” the university writes in a statement.
School officials say they decided to dismantle the camp because officials, including police and the fire department, have been denied access to the camp.
“McGill will always support the right to free expression and assembly within the bounds of the laws and policies that keep us all safe,” said Deep Saini, the university’s president and vice-chancellor. “However, recent events go far beyond peaceful protest and have inhibited the respectful exchange of views and ideas that is so essential to the University’s mission and to our sense of community.”
In an e-mail sent Wednesday morning, the group Divest for Palestine Collective called the situation “absurd.”
“We were told that we were breaking into our own campus to protest the fact that our tuition money is being used to fund companies that kill Palestinians,” it noted. “As we continue to see bodies pulled from the rubble, I promise that students will not end the fight for divestment at this encampment.”
Montreal police (SPVM) confirms it is onsite at the school to oversee the operation.
“McGill hired a private security agency to dismantle the encampment,” explains Jean-Pierre Brabant, a spokesperson with Montreal police, adding the force is not in charge of the operation.
He says that an eviction notice was issued by the agency, and some people have already left the site.
Montreal police officers onsite at McGill University after the school hired a firm to dismantle the pro-Palestinian encampment on its lower field. (Scott Prouse/CTV News)
In the meantime, McGill is asking students, faculty and staff to avoid the area.
“Classes typically held on the downtown campus will move online for today,” it notes. “We ask instructors to please notify their students immediately.”
In addition, libraries and daycares are closed.
The campus is also off limits to the public, and all events, summer programs and activities are cancelled.