York University students established a pro-Palestinian encampment on the campus in Toronto on Wednesday June 5.Chris Young/The Canadian Press
Police cleared a pro-Palestinian encampment at York University a day after it was established, a stark contrast with other campus protests that have been allowed to remain in place for weeks as administrators try to find a peaceful resolution.
Dozens of police moved to clear the York encampment on Thursday morning, the same day that a trespass notice was issued, according to police.
Toronto police said they acted at the request of York University. The police said approximately 40 people left the encampment when directed to do so and one person was arrested under the Trespass to Property Act after returning to the camp, police said.
The university’s decision to call police sparked anger and disbelief among students and faculty who rallied at the site of the former encampment on Thursday afternoon.
“I can’t even express how horrified I am,” said Ethel Tungohan, a professor of politics at York.
“As a professor who tries to teach students about dissent and protest and how it’s a vital part of democracy, to see that stifled at my university is a punch in the gut.”
The York encampment is part of a wave of protests that have called on universities to disclose where their money is invested, divest from companies connected to the Israeli military and break ties with some Israeli universities.
York University said the encampment was set up on the Harry W. Arthurs Common on Wednesday morning without permission, and that protesters were informed by campus security they were not allowed to do so.
“York’s campuses must be accessible for all community members and visitors – the Common is intended for use as a space for study, work and leisure,” the university administration said in a note to campus Thursday.
“The individuals involved in the encampment have left peacefully. York’s community safety team is clearing the site of equipment so that it may be returned to its intended use as soon as possible.”
York president Rhonda Lenton was not available for an interview.
In a note to campus sent Wednesday, the York administration had said it would try to establish a dialogue with the encampment. Toronto police said it received a request for assistance that same day.
By Thursday afternoon, approximately 200 protesters had gathered on the Common to denounce the university’s actions.
Rose Peyvandi, a fourth-year psychology student, said the sight of police arriving in protective gear and advancing on the camp was intimidating. She said they arrayed themselves in a line and methodically approached the tents a few feet at a time.
“Immediately I was appalled. I started shaking and crying,” she said. “I was just enraged that they could do this. It was a peaceful demonstration.”
The provincial government has previously called for the encampments to end to protect the health and safety of all involved. Some Jewish groups have said the encampments have made some students feel unsafe on campus. B’nai Brith thanked the university and police for their actions, saying they set an example for other institutions.
The swift move to break up the encampment at York is similar to the response seen at the University of Calgary and the University of Alberta, where protests were rousted by police shortly after they were established.
At McGill, the University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia, encampments have endured for weeks, while at McMaster and Ontario Tech administrators have successfully negotiated an end to the protests. McGill has sought unsuccessfully so far to win a court order that would authorize police to clear the camp while the U of T’s application to the Ontario Superior court is expected to be heard later this month.
Toronto police spokesperson Stephanie Sayer said the York situation differs from that at the University of Toronto. In the U of T case, a trespass notice was not issued until 22 days after the encampment began, she said, while the protest grew in size and protesters were provided accommodations such as access to washrooms.
“The timing and circumstances are different at both universities, which is why the University of Toronto is now seeking a court order to authorize police to assist,” Ms. Sayer said, adding that police have to assess the facts of the situation before they proceed.
Bruce Ryder, a professor of law at York’s Osgoode Hall, said he was surprised that York asked police to clear the encampment after only 24 hours.
“I expected they would take a restrained approach, as a number of other universities have,” Prof. Ryder said. “I thought they would be respectful of the right to free expression and peaceful assembly, especially here in Ontario where the Ford government has required universities to adopt policies quite protective of free speech.”