By clearing protest encampments, universities put property over people

 

An Ontario court is set to hear the University of Toronto’s application for an injunction to clear a pro-Palestinian protest encampment on campus. York University recently joined Université Laval and the universities of Calgary and Alberta in using police to clear a campus protest encampment. On the basis of a notice issued under Ontario’s trespass law, Toronto police dismantled the York Popular University for Palestine encampment less than 24 hours after its establishment, arresting one student.

Students at universities across Canada have set up protest encampments on campuses in recent months, calling on their institutions to cut ties with and divest from assets and companies associated with Israel. Some universities have responded punitively to the protests, calling in the police to clear encampments.

To date, three Canadian universities — McGill University, the University of Toronto (U of T) and the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) — have applied for court orders compelling police to remove or restrain encampments. Four others — York, Calgary, Alberta and Laval — have cleared encampments without the use of injunctions.

Canadian universities’ requests for court orders and police enforcement to clear Palestine solidarity encampments raise questions about the legal status of university encampments and the use of injunctions.  (more...)

By clearing protest encampments, universities put property over people