Police in riot gear order pro-Palestinian protesters to leave University of Calgary

By The Canadian Press on May 9, 2024.

A police vehicle is seen at Calgary Police Service headquarters in Calgary on April 9, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

CALGARY – A pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Calgary ended late Thursday after police in riot gear surrounded the site, dismantled fencing and ordered demonstrators to leave.

Video posted on social media shows officers tearing down makeshift fencing and tents before protesters left.

It wasn’t immediately known if there were arrests, but the site was cleared before 11 p.m.

The protest began earlier in the day, as tents were set up and the number of demonstrators grew throughout the day.

Protesters have said they are objecting to the university’s ties with Israeli companies and institutions.

It’s one of several recent protests on academic campuses in Canada and the United States in response to Israel’s offensive in Gaza.

“Protesters in violation of trespass are now subject to charge and removal. All members of the public, staff and students are advised to stay away from the area,” police said in a statement posted on social media.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 9, 2024.