'Divest now': Students launch encampment at McGill University
Several students have launched an encampment at McGill University as they call on the institution to cut financial ties with Israel.
Several posts on social media show protesters joining hands in a circle around several tents that were set up on Saturday.
Protesters shouted "Divest now" and "Free Palestine." Posters circulating online state students from McGill and Concordia University are participating in the event to send the message to university administration that students "refuse to let their universities be complicit in genocide."
Montreal police said some officers are on site to monitor the event, but say campus security is in charge.
The encampment resembles those in several U.S. cities in recent days with anti-war protests ramping up on university campuses calling for an end to the massacre of civilians in Gaza.
On Saturday morning, McGill sent a communique to students informing them that "encampments are not permitted on our campus."
It also noted that "encampments can create serious health and safety concerns while increasing the potential for escalation and confrontation, as we have seen at some colleges throughout the U.S."
When asked by CTV News whether or not the tents would have to be removed, a spokesperson did not answer.
A university spokesperson wrote in an email Saturday afternoon that its security officers are on site and that "We support the rights of our campus community to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly within the bounds of McGill’s policies and the law. We also have a duty to create a respectful environment that creates the optimal conditions for carrying out our academic mission and that protects the health and safety of our community."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6438722.1686650986!/httpImage/image.jpeg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpeg)
'He's in our hearts': Family and friends still seek answers one year after Nathan Wise’s disappearance
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
Edibles, armchairs and adapters: Here are the recalls for this week
Health Canada announced various product recalls this week, including electric adapters, armchairs, cannabis edibles and vehicle components.
Putin replaces Russian defence minister in rare cabinet shakeup
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin began a Cabinet shakeup on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as defence minister as he begins his fifth term in office.
Suspect sought after fatal slashing in downtown Toronto
Police are searching for a suspect in a homicide investigation after a man was slashed in downtown Toronto on Sunday.
Over 300 dead, thousands displaced in northern Afghanistan as floods affect region
The UN food agency estimated that unusually heavy seasonal rains in Afghanistan have left more than 300 people dead and thousands of houses destroyed.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.