Tear gas and flashbangs flew into the crowd as pro-Palestinian protesters fled with Calgary police following close behind, tearing down barricades and pounding their riot shields.
On the morning of May 9, pro-Palestinian protestors led by student activists at the U of C set up an encampment near the Taylor Family Digital on campus that was a barricaded zone with wood palettes and improvised fencing. They demanded the university divest from all direct and indirect ties to Israel in exchange for their leave.
Within the same day, university officials issued a statement that said protests were allowed on campus but overnight encampments wouldn’t be tolerated. According to the police, the university contacted them to resolve the situation.
Near 7 p.m., police announced that overnight encampments were not allowed and that the protestors had 10 minutes to comply. This was met with protesters lining up at the barricade and police mobilization around the encampment.
Protestors and officers stood at the edge of the encampment until 8:30 p.m., at which point the protesters held a meeting to make sure the people involved knew it would be possible to be arrested if they stayed. With the barricade unguarded, police took this opportunity to tear down the barricade and begin their advance into the encampment.
Police advanced slowly, tearing down tents and fences. The officers informed the protesters that they would keep their positions and allow protesters to pack their things and vacate the campus.
Students at the U of C received no correspondence from the university’s administration regarding their demands before the police response.
“I’m incredibly disappointed in our university admin,” said Julia Lee, a student protester, as her peers sang “We Shall not be Moved” by The Seekers. “I’d like to say they’ve gravely underestimated how much heart, how much empathy and how much we are willing to do to care about Palestinians and ensure genocide is stopped,”
The police waited until 11:15 p.m. for the camp to be packed up, then pushed the line of protesters forward. The situation escalated as students began to throw projectiles at the officers, resulting in multiple arrests. Police utilized rubber bullets, flashbangs and tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Then the police sent a public notice at 12:09 a.m. stating, “No injuries have been reported. The number of arrests, tickets and charges will be made publicly available tomorrow.”
The university also issued a statement after the encampment was dismantled.
“We are aware that the Calgary Police Service responded to our request regarding individuals gathered on campus today. They were informed multiple times this morning and evening of our policy not to permit temporary structures. Members of the campus community are free to protest, but they are not free to camp.”
Protestors are organizing a follow-up protest in the engineering quad at the university for May 10 at 2 p.m..