Although Passive in Response, a Majority of Canadians Support Removal of Pro-Hamas Encampments at Canadian Universities

"For many, they had already made their point, and/or they were not going to achieve their objective, however it was understood -- which was also unclear to many Canadians."

"[The protesters' goals and objectives] are being seen as increasingly unclear."

"For many, the underlying issue was a matter of trust, and the 55-plus group trusts the university leaders to a much greater extent than they did the encampment organizers."

"[A] considerable [49 percent of students in the survey said they didn't know or preferred not to answer] potentially suggesting a high degree of stigma associated with taking a position on either side of this."

Jack Jedwab, president, Association for Canadian Studies

 

According to a new national poll conducted by Leger for the Association for Canadian Studies, most Canadians support police having taken down illegal, disruptive pro-Palestinian encampments at Canadian universities. Some 70 percent of Canadians surveyed were in agreement that officials were correct in having police and private security dismantle an encampment at McGill University and at downtown Victoria Square in Montreal.

On the morning of July 5, police in riot gear began to dismantle the camp at Victoria Square, mere days following the province's public security minister accusing the city in public of being too passive with the presence of the protesters in the public arena. Once Victoria Square was cleared of the encampment, in another five days police and private security firm agents were at McGill using excavators and front-end loaders to disassemble about a hundred tents and tarps at the McGill encampment after over two months of legal battles, counter protests, accusations of antisemitism and concerns over security risks.

Twice, Quebec courts refused to issue an injunction against the encampments. Finally, flyers promoting a "revolutionary summer program", ostensibly to 'educate' those not sufficiently imbued with hatred for Jews and Israel, who needed an additional propaganda boost to venerate the terrorist group Hamas. The flyers featured photographs of keffiyeh-wrapped Palestinian fighters with raised rifles.

Members of the Divest for Palestine Collective had planned and organized the Victoria Square camp, in an effort to apply pressure on Quebec's pension fund manager to sever links with Israeli institutions that the group accused of being complicit in the conflict in Gaza between Hamas and Israel. Spurred by encampments set up at universities in the United States, the McGill University encampment was the first to appear in Canada. Quickly followed by over a dozen other Canadian universities, including University of British Columbia, University of Toronto and University of Alberta.

 

Workers dismantle the anti-Israel encampment at McGill University in Montreal on July 10. Photo by John Mahoney /Montreal Gazette

Demands were noisily issued that universities cut ties with Israel, end all collegial arrangements with Israeli universities and divest from any companies or corporate interests that supply arms to Israel, or which profit from the war with Hamas. Those protesters enjoyed the support of 19 percent of Canadians, according to earlier Leger polling. McGill and Victoria Place, according to Jack Jedwab of the Association for Canadian Studies were seen as valid proxies for public opinion on other encampments.

A majority of Canadians over -- 69 percent -- agreed with their removal. Twice as many students favoured removal of the encampment of those expressing an opinion, while 40 percent agreed that police were right to take down encampments, while 18 percent disagreed. 42 percent of students responded they preferred not to answer, or just did not know. The degree of opposition to the encampments with just 13 percent of Canadians of all ages polled disapproving of their removal suggested protesters increasingly perceived them as disruptive to student life and the broader community.

The encampment at McGill was described by its vice chancellor Deep Saini as a "heavily fortified focal point for intimidation and violence" organized largely by outsiders who used tactics designed to "threaten, coerce and scare people". Support for encampment removal was highest among Canadians aged 55 and older, with 62 percent reporting they "strongly agree" officials were correct for police and private security to take down the McGill tents.

Nearly half (48 percent) of 18- to 34-year-olds strongly or somewhat agreed with the removal of the McGill encampments, even as 24 percent  strongly disagreed. Of that age group, 27 percent said they did not know or preferred not to answer.

Aerial view of the pro-Palestinian camp on the McGill University campus in downtown Montreal on Thursday, May 9, 2024. Photo by Dave Sidaway /Montreal Gazette