About a hundred people have set up an encampment on McGill campus demanding that the university divest from Israel-connected funds. The students are calling for financial ties to be cut with Israel due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war. The encampment’s spokesperson stated that they want the university to divest from all holdings that finance the Israeli military and are complicit in the violence. This includes weapons manufacturers and some real estate agencies. The students are also calling for an academic boycott with Israeli institutions. Demonstrators say they are committed to staying until the university commits to their demands.
The encampment was set up with around 20 tents and multiple fences creating a barricade. Signs present at the protest read, “You are funding genocide,” “Free Gaza now,” and expressed solidarity with the Palestinian cause and people in Gaza. Similar protests have been taking place on U.S. university campuses, inspired by the demonstration at Columbia University in New York. Some schools have experienced police interventions, with dozens of students arrested and allegations of antisemitism causing fear on campus. Some politicians have called for the National Guard to dismantle the camps. McGill has stated that erecting tents without approval violates both university policies and the law.
In response to the protests, Liberal MP Anthony Housefather expressed concern over the situation at Columbia University and other U.S. schools. He called for school administrators, local police, and city officials to step in and remove the demonstrations to ensure student safety, particularly with final exams approaching. Quebec’s Higher Education Minister Pascale Dery also expressed concern over the unauthorized encampment at McGill University, emphasizing the need for the university to make decisions to ensure student safety during exam week. As of Sunday evening, Montreal police reported that the protest had remained peaceful with no arrests or need for police intervention.
Global News reached out to Jewish student groups for a response but did not receive a response. McGill University stated that members of the university community have the right to freedom of expression and assembly within policy and legal bounds but noted that erecting tents without approval violates these rules. The university did not indicate how they plan to address the situation. Montreal police confirmed they are present and ready to assist the McGill security team if needed and are closely monitoring the situation in case it escalates. The protests at McGill and other universities highlight the ongoing controversy surrounding divestment from Israel-connected funds and the impact it has on campus communities.
