Report says University of Calgary delivered measured response to Gaza protest in May

Pro-Palestinian protesters link arms as police move to clear remaining protesters and their encampment at the University of Calgary campus, in Calgary on Thursday, May 9, 2024. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Noah Korver)

A review into the decision-making process that led to the removal of a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Calgary says the school was ready and acted according to leading practices in crisis management.

The report, by consulting firm MNP, said while the date and time of the encampment came as a surprise, the University of Calgary was aware of the possibility and had planned for it.

"In the face of a complex and challenging situation, the CMT decision making process was found to be measured, deliberate and informed,” said the report.

"Following the predetermined plan, including the decision to not permit protest encampments on campus, the Calgary Police Service were called to enforce a trespass notice, and the encampment was dismantled by the evening of May 9.”

It was one of several protests on university campuses in Canada and the United States in response to Israel’s offensive in Gaza.

About 150 demonstrators were warned by both police and U of C officials that they were trespassing and that their encampment would be removed.

The situation escalated to the point where police officers used non-lethal munitions, including tear gas and flash bangs, to disperse the remaining demonstrators at 11 p.m., while also arresting five participants.

"The situation faced by the CMT (Crisis Management Team) was difficult and unprecedented with, among other complexities, highly emotive geopolitics, the need to balance the right to free speech and protest with the requirement to ensure safety for all U of Calgary community members and the continued operations of the institution," the report found.

The chair of the university's board of governors said a review of the decision-making process is standard after all major events.

"It found the university had strong structures in place and good decision-making processes,” said Mark Herman in a statement.

“It also identified areas for improvement in tracking and engaging with constituency groups and stakeholders during incidents, and providing crisis management training and awareness to more members of the community.

"It remains the position of the University of Calgary that, while you are free to protest, you are not free to camp or use space to the exclusion of others.”

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team concluded its investigation into the camp removal in late October and was unable to verify claims of serious injury.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 19, 2024.