Montreal, Quebec — A large pro-Palestinian protest outside Concordia University’s Henry F. Hall Building on Tuesday led the institution to close its downtown Montreal campus for the day amid heavy police presence.
By 1 p.m., demonstrators — many wearing keffiyehs and carrying flags — gathered at the intersection of Mackay Street and de Maisonneuve Boulevard, where dozens of police officers stood guard. The protest was one of several coordinated demonstrations across the city, as tens of thousands of Montreal students from universities and CEGEPs joined a strike in solidarity with Palestinians killed in Israeli military operations in Gaza over the past two years.
Earlier Tuesday morning, Concordia President Graham Carr announced the campus shutdown to prevent “potentially obstructive” incidents and ensure safety.
“Unless already scheduled, faculty may choose to switch to remote delivery, if feasible,” Carr wrote in an email to students. “In the last two years, we have seen protests on campus but have never been forced to enact such preventive measures.”
Carr said the decision aimed to protect the university community, as hundreds of outside protesters and possible counter-protesters were expected to converge downtown in the afternoon.
Background and Broader Context
Tuesday marks the two-year anniversary of the 2023 Hamas attack in southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people and led to the capture of 250 hostages. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has resulted in more than 67,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, and has sparked ongoing international scrutiny.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence minister, following allegations of war crimes and genocide — claims that Israel has strongly denied.
Recent Tensions and Arrests
A day earlier, two individuals were arrested during a separate protest outside Concordia — one for allegedly assaulting a security guard, the other for mischief after pulling a fire alarm. Police later confirmed that neither was affiliated with the university.
Concordia officials expect more demonstrations later today, including one near Square-Victoria–OACI Metro Station. Police remain deployed around key downtown areas to prevent further unrest.
This is a developing story and will be updated as new information becomes available.
