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Two years after police removed a pro-Palestine encampment on the University of Calgary campus, nine people who were removed are suing the university, the Calgary Police Service and the City of Calgary.
The lawsuit alleges that in May 2024, Calgary police used “unnecessary and unreasonable force” to remove a group of peaceful protestors at the request of U of C officials.
Protestors had set up an encampment near MacEwan Hall with the goal of pressuring the U of C to disclose and divest its financial ties with Israel.
Within 24 hours, the U of C issued trespass notices to the protestors and police removed the encampment using shields and batons. The lawsuit alleges police knew protestors were already dismantling and preparing to leave when they took action.
“It was completely unnecessary, completely excessive, and just an offensive disregard for their constitutional rights,” said Chris Wiebe, the lawyer representing the plaintiffs, in an interview with CBC News.
None of the allegations have been tested in court.
The plaintiffs include U of C students and alumni, as well as a SAIT instructor, a psychologist and an addictions counsellor, who were present to support student protestors.
The lawsuit alleges protestors were punched, choked, struck with shields and batons, and that officers used pepper balls on the protestors, and as a result, they suffered concussions, psychological trauma and other painful injuries.
Wiebe said the U of C issued trespass notices without regard for protestors’ Charter rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association, and without any discussion or serious review of whether the protest presented any safety or obstruction risk.
“The higher-ups at the CPS knew that my clients were packing up to leave, and yet they decided to advance violently with chemical ammunitions, batons, shields, striking many of my clients,” said Wiebe.
The lawsuit also alleges police continued to surveil some plaintiffs after the encampment was dispersed. It also alleges former Calgary police chief Mark Neufeld made “false” statements, including that police began removing the encampment because protestors were failing to comply with police, that protestors did not suffer injuries and that none of the people issued tickets for trespassing were students.
The lawsuit also alleges some plaintiffs were subject to false arrest, arbitrary and discriminatory issuances of summons violation tickets, and unreasonable search and seizure.
On Monday, the CPS said it was unable to comment on any pending litigation.
The city also stated it will not be able to provide comment because the case is before the courts.
In response to the lawsuit, a statement from the U of C said it will review any statement of claim received through the courts and respond as appropriate.
The plaintiffs are seeking more than $331,000 in damages, as well as legal costs and declarations that the plaintiffs’ constitutional rights were violated.
The protest was part of a wave of demonstrations at university campuses across North America, including the University of Toronto and McGill University. Earlier this year, some protestors launched a Charter challenge against the University of Alberta for directing Edmonton police to forcibly remove a similar encampment.
In November 2024, Calgary police said the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team could not verify allegations of serious injuries during the encampment’s removal, and that its investigation was complete.
Roberta Lexier, a Mount Royal University professor who has researched the history of university student movements and protests, noted that other schools around the country saw similar, but less dramatic responses to pro-Palestinian encampments on university campuses.
“The situation in Calgary was unique in that the administration at the University of Calgary pretty quickly, basically, immediately called in the police to take care of the demonstration,” said Lexier. “The demonstration was basically demolished within about 18 hours of it being put up.”
Meanwhile, a 2024 third-party review by consulting firm MNP praised the University of Calgary’s response, stating that the school’s decision to involve the Calgary Police Service was “deliberate, discussed, documented and agreed-upon.”
