The Plante administration on Monday denounced “completely unacceptable” images broadcast by the pro-Palestinian McGill encampment, but refused to ask the police to dismantle the installation.
On social media, organizations linked to the camp promoted a “revolutionary youth program” with images of fighters armed with machine guns. “The daily program will include physical activity, Arabic classes [and] revolutionary lessons.”
Jewish community organizations quickly denounced these comments. The image also caused a reaction from the rector of McGill University, Deep Saini, who described it as “extremely alarming” in a press release. “Images that evoke violence are not tools for peaceful expression and assembly,” he added.
On Monday, the Plante administration added its voice to the concert of criticism: “this poster was completely unacceptable, bordering on very shocking for us,” said Alain Vaillancourt, head of public security on the executive committee.
“That said, as the mayor said before, it is not up to us to dictate to the SPVM how to operate and make its interventions. We won’t,” he continued. “There is a separation between politics and the SPVM, that’s clear. »
Mr. Vaillancourt was questioned by opposition MP Sonny Moroz, who said he was “shocked and alarmed by the violence of this ad”.
