Pro-Palestinian encampment at University of Alberta dismantled by Edmonton police

Edmonton police cleared a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of Alberta early Saturday morning.

Edmonton police cleared a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of Alberta early Saturday morning, one of several measures authorities have taken in recent days to crack down on campus protesters at sites across the country.

The Edmonton Police Service said it repeatedly gave campus demonstrators notice that they were breaching university policy and provincial trespassing laws. Officers issued a final warning just after 4:30 a.m. and escorted demonstrators from the north campus quad following one last call to leave, said spokesman Scott Pattison.

The move by authorities came less than two days after the camp began to form on Thursday, mushrooming to about 40 tents by the next day as protesters called on the university for divestment from Israeli institutions. The group has also demanded disclosure of those investments, a declaration of the right to protest and condemnation of Israel’s invasion of the Gaza Strip as a “genocide.”

University president Bill Flanagan issued a statement on Saturday citing fire hazards and the risk of escalation and violent clashes with counter-protesters among the reasons for police involvement.

“Of great concern, some members of the group brought in wood pallets, materials known to be used as barricade-making materials — actions that are counter to peaceful, law-abiding protests,” he said.

“Overnight protests are often accompanied by serious violence and larger crowds amplify those inherent risks — especially as they attract counter-protestors or outside agitators.”

Flanagan said about one quarter of the 50 protesters were University of Alberta students, “to the best of our knowledge,” adding police reported no critical injuries.

“The vast majority of those present complied with the police direction and decamped peacefully from university property. Unfortunately two individuals without any connection to the University of Alberta did not comply with the request to vacate and they were removed,” he said.