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The Toronto Police Service says it will enforce a court order issued yesterday that requires demonstrators at a pro-Palestinian protest encampment at the University of Toronto to dismantle the encampment by 6 p.m. today.
Ontario Superior Court Justice Markus Koehnen said while there was no evidence of violence or anti-Semitic behavior by camp participants, the demonstration had taken away the university’s ability to control events in the King’s Circle area.
Cohen said property owners often decide what happens on their properties, and if protesters can take that power into their own hands, there’s nothing stopping a more powerful group from taking over the space currently occupied by protesters.
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He said it would lead to chaos and that his order gave police the power to arrest and deport anyone with knowledge of it, which contradicted his order.
Police said in a brief statement yesterday evening that the 6pm deadline applied to protesters.
They said they would not reveal details of the operation but noted that the court order leaves it up to police discretion as to what action to take.
Late yesterday, protesters at the encampment would not say whether they planned to comply with the court order, but some were removing signs from the fence outside.
The protesters set up camp on May 2 and had previously said they would remain there until the school agreed to their demands, which include disclosure and divestment of investments in companies that profited from Israel’s offensive on Gaza.
The court ruling said the university had put in place procedures to consider divestment requests and offered the protesters an expedited hearing.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
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