On recent days, protests have broken out at academic campuses in both Canada and the United States in response to Israel’s actions in Gaza. One of these protests took place at the University of Alberta, where demonstrators set up a pro-Palestinian encampment, demanding the university cut ties with businesses supporting Israel and disclose their investments. Despite repeated warnings from the Edmonton Police Service that the protesters were breaching university policy and trespassing laws, the camp continued to grow. On the morning of Saturday, police moved in to dismantle the camp, resulting in a chaotic scene with officers using batons and tear gas on protesters. Similar actions were taken in Calgary, sparking concerns about the excessive use of force in relation to freedom of speech.
Opposition NDP leader Rachel Notley expressed her distress at the police response, calling it “incredibly disproportionate” and raising concerns about the state of freedom of speech in the province. Both the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary called in police to clear the encampments within hours of their formation, mirroring actions taken at campuses across the country. Premier Danielle Smith initially defended the actions as necessary to prevent demonstrations from getting out of control or spreading hate speech, but later changed her tone after reports of potential injuries emerged. The government announced it would ask the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) to investigate the incidents at the campuses.
Both the Edmonton Police Service and the Calgary Police Service welcomed ASIRT’s oversight, emphasizing the importance of upholding everyone’s lawful right to protest. Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis acknowledged the need for investigations into the use of force during the camp dismantlements, particularly if there were reports of injuries. Advanced Education Minister Rajan Sawhney acknowledged the sensitive nature of the events happening in the Middle East and reaffirmed the right to protest on campus. University of Alberta president Bill Flanagan cited fire hazards and the risk of escalation with counter-protesters as reasons for police involvement, but protest organizers claimed the only violence came from the police.
City councillors in Edmonton expressed the need for more information before passing judgment on the events, highlighting the importance of balancing freedom of speech with public safety concerns. Commissioner Anne Stevenson emphasized the role of governance in mitigating risks associated with protests while protecting people’s constitutional rights. Despite the uncertainty surrounding the police actions during the dismantling of the camps, there is a growing consensus that universities should continue to be safe spaces for the expression of diverse opinions and questioning of world events. The incidents at the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary have sparked calls for accountability and transparency in the handling of protests on campus.
