An Ontario provincial court on Tuesday issued an interim interlocutory injunction against a group of pro-Palestinian protestors at the University of Toronto’s Front Campus and King’s College Circle. The order, granted by Justice Koehnen of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, mandates the removal of all structures and personal property from these areas by 6 pm on July 3, 2024, and prohibits further encampments.

The injunction was sought by the Governing Council of the University of Toronto, and the motion was heard on June 19 and 20, 2024, with additional written submissions received on June 24, 2024. The court emphasized the necessity of the injunction to ensure the university’s full use and enjoyment of its lands.

Justice Koehnen’s order mandates several key actions. By 6 pm on July 3, 2024, all respondents and anyone aware of the order must remove all structures, tents, encampments, and personal property from Front Campus and King’s College Circle. Additionally, the respondents and those informed of the order are required to vacate these areas by the same deadline. The order prohibits respondents from physically preventing, impeding, restricting, or interfering with access to university property, including Front Campus, King’s College Circle, and 93 Highland Avenue. Furthermore, the Toronto Police Service and other law enforcement agencies are authorized to arrest and remove anyone aware of the order who is reasonably believed to be violating its provisions.

Protestors have been preparing for potential arrests by holding training sessions and stocking up on supplies such as respirator masks. During a press conference within the encampment, they mentioned they were still deciding whether to comply with the injunction, emphasizing that the encampment is merely “one tactic” and that their activism on campus would continue even if it were dismantled.

In response to the court order, university president Meric Gertler stated, “Today’s court order returns Front Campus to the entire university community and prevents any one group from asserting control of a shared space. We expect those in the encampment to abide by the court order and vacate the encampment before the court-imposed deadline. Anyone who chooses to remain in the encampment after that deadline will be subject to consequences under university policy and the law.”

“Today’s ruling is a concerning blow to the essential right to peaceful assembly,” stated Henry Off, a Board Member at the Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights (CLAIHR). “It also establishes a risky precedent that could limit human rights advocacy in other areas.”