Ford says pro-Palestinian university encampments 'need to move'

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he believes pro-Palestinian encampments set up on university campuses need to be removed.

Speaking at a Holocaust memorial ceremony at Queen's Park on Monday, Ford said some of what he's seen and heard about the protests is "unacceptable," and universities need to "move them on."

"We need to remove those people ... these universities have to make a move," Ford said.

Meanwhile, the University of Toronto says it sees "a way forward" after meeting with student protesters behind a pro-Palestinian encampment on campus.

The encampment set up in an area known as King's College Circle last Thursday is calling on the university to disclose ties with the Israeli government and divest from Israeli companies.

Though the university initially gave protesters a deadline of 10 p.m. last Thursday to leave, administrators later said they wouldn't remove the encampment if its activities remained peaceful.

School says constructive discussions happening

Sandy Welsh, the university's vice-provost of students, said in a statement Monday morning that members of the administration met with student representatives for the encampment over the weekend, and the discussions "have been constructive."

She says representatives and administrators are working together to address concerns about health and safety, as well as reports of threatening or hateful language. Modifications were made to fencing in the area of the protest to "enhance safety," she added, while the school hopes to bring in temporary sanitation improvements as well.

"We remain concerned about large numbers of the broader public coming to campus for rallies and marches," Welsh wrote. "There have been several incidents of particular concern, including reported assaults and hate speech.

"It is not clear how many of these involve individuals inside the encampment or members of the public. We have forwarded four reports to Project Resolute, a Toronto Police Service initiative to fight antisemitism and Islamophobia, for further investigation."

Protesters say U of T not addressing demands

Protest organizer Heigo Parsa told CBC News Monday that organizers have been in contact with school administration and have had some conversations around logistical concerns linked to the encampment, but nothing around the group's actual demands.

The group has pledged not to leave university grounds until their demands are met. They previously told CBC News that they want the university to reveal a complete list of its endowment's investments and divest from assets that "sustain Israeli apartheid, occupation and illegal settlement of Palestine." They also demanded the school cut ties with Israeli academic institutions that operate within the occupied West Bank.

"We're not here to stay here for the sake of staying here or protest for the sake of protesting," Parsa said. "We have very specific, concrete demands that we've presented to the university, and any conversation we have with them should be centred around those demands.

"Unfortunately, they have yet to address our demands."

Parsa said demonstrators have dealt with threats and incidents of racism from "outside agitators" that can be difficult to deal with, but there has also been an "outpouring of support" from others, he added.

"Overall, spirits are high," he said.

Pro-Palestinian activists have also set up tents at McGill University in Montreal, the University of Ottawa, McMaster University in Hamilton and the University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver.