Awoken at the crack of dawn to the sound of shouting police, pro-Palestinian protesters staying in Montreal’s Victoria Square are clearing out their belongings as officials gave the green light to dismantle the encampment on Friday.
A large police force, dressed in riot gear, entered the area just after 5:15 a.m. Friday.“It was scary,” protester Emma Jobert said.“They were yelling, kicking tents and damaging our gear.”About a dozen unsuspecting campers were on site when police intervened.
According to Montreal police (SPVM), no arrests and or injuries occurred during the intervention.Workers have since been called to the encampment to dismantle and take away the debris.This is the first pro-Palestinian encampment to be dismantled by Montreal police.The ongoing encampment on the McGill University campus, which was the first in Canada, remains standing and has been in place since April.