Pro-Palestinian protesters clear out encampment at University of Toronto

TORONTO - Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters on July 3 cleared out tents and tarps from a fenced-off grassy area on the campus of Canada’s largest university, where for two months they had held an encampment.

On July 2, an Ontario judge

ordered the protesters to leave the area by 6pm on July 3,

granting an injunction requested by the University of Toronto. The judge said that in this case, free expression was no defence to trespass.

“We are leaving on our terms to protect our community,” said Palestinian Mohammad Yassin, a recent University of Toronto graduate and a spokesman for the protesters, to a crowd of supporters and reporters outside the former encampment site.

He added that the occupation through the school’s convocation period was “a massive victory”.

The protesters had been calling on the University of Toronto to disclose its investments, divest from investments associated with the Israeli occupation and cut ties with some Israeli-affiliated institutions.

“Negotiations have been frozen for a little while now,” Mr Yassin said.

University of Toronto President Meric Gertler said in a statement that he was pleased the encampment had ended peacefully.

“Members of our community continue to be free to exercise their right to free speech and lawful protest,” he said.

The war in Gaza began when Hamas gunmen burst into southern Israel on Oct 7, killed 1,200 people and took around 250 hostages back into Gaza, Israel says. The offensive launched by Israel in retaliation has killed nearly 38,000 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, and has left the heavily built-up coastal enclave in ruins. REUTERS