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Montreal police have been asked by McGill to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment

May 1, 2024 | 6:59 AM

Officials at McGill University are awaiting word from Montreal police, following a request to help clear a pro-Palestinian encampment on the school grounds.

The call for assistance comes after efforts to persuade the protesters to end what the school has called an illegal action failed.

The demonstrators say they have no intention of dismantling their tents until McGill, as well as nearby Concordia University, divests from all companies that are “profiting from genocide.”

A spokeswoman for the police has confirmed the request was received, and options on how to respond are being weighed.

The encampment, which was erected on Saturday, follows a wave of similar protests on campuses across Canada and the United States linked to the Israel-Hamas war.

Pro-Palestinian protesters have also set up an encampment at the University of British Columbia’s Point Grey Campus and at the University of Ottawa.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 1, 2024.

The Canadian Press