Without much fuss, pro-Palestinian protesters dismantle UBC camp after two months

VANCOUVER — A pro-Palestinian protest camp that occupied a sports field on the campus of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver for more than two months has been dismantled by protesters without much fanfare or warning.

Last week, protest organizers vowed to continue using “every avenue possible” on campus. But by Monday, every one of the dozens of tents that once dotted the field was gone, though barricades and fences surrounding the site remained in place.

A statement from UBC said the “protesters left from MacInnes Field” next to the school’s public transportation hub and student building on Sunday, but did not elaborate.

A spokeswoman for the protest camp confirmed in a text message that the camp was closed.

A UBC security guard at MacInnes Field, who asked not to be identified, said the protesters left the grounds without notice Sunday night.

On Monday, security guards patrolled the area to prevent unauthorized persons from entering the field as they waited for cleaning crews to arrive.

On Friday, more than 35 tents and a handful of people were visible at the site occupied in late April by protesters demanding that UBC cut all financial and academic ties to Israeli companies or institutions.

The camp at UBC came after similar protests at universities elsewhere in Canada and the United States. There are also camps at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, B.C., and at the University of Victoria.

University of Victoria spokeswoman Erin Bell said “the People’s Park UVic camp remains on campus,” while a University of Vancouver Island spokeswoman said there was no update on the protest camp there.

The modest closure of the UBC camp came after another protest site at the University of Toronto was cleared last week after a judge ruled in favor of an injunction the school sought to clear the camp.

Ontario Superior Court Judge Markus Koehnen ruled that the camp deprived the school of its ability to control what happened on its property. The result, Koehnen said, was irreparable harm.

“In our society, we have decided that the owner of a property generally has the right to determine what happens on the property,” Koehnen said.

University of Ottawa professor Michael Geist had said Ontario’s decision could serve as a road map for other schools seeking to remove protest camps. He said the reliance on property rights meant schools could issue trespassing notices to protesters before they would begin the legal process of eviction.

Protesters at several Canadian schools, including UBC, issued a joint statement on social media last week, calling Ontario’s decision “disgraceful” because it prioritizes property ownership over student rights.

The statement said the protesters “will continue to operate on our campuses and exert pressure on our universities through all possible channels.”

The UBC camp once had about 75 tents and was a hive of activity with music and activities, but at one point on Friday only three people were seen inside the fenced area.

Vancouver Island University said in a statement last week following the Ontario court ruling that it is “exploring similar legal avenues that other institutions have pursued.”

The school reported that about 25 protesters occupied a school building in late June and disrupted an exam, while another building was vandalized over the long Canada Day weekend.

According to Vancouver Island University, the settlement offer to the protesters has been rejected. The escalation of the disruptions on campus shows that “participants in the camp are not willing to engage in a good faith dialogue.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 8, 2024.

Chuck Chiang, The Canadian Press