One down, one to go?

The SPVM, equipped with riot gear, cleared anti-Israel activists from Place Victoria beginning at 5 a.m. Friday without violent incident. Montreal employees dismantled the encampment.The  encampment was set up on June 22 and had vandalized the site and the Victoria statue with anti-Israel and anti-capitalist graffiti. The McGill encampment, set up April 27, remains in place. On Thursday, the squatters there refused to allow fire inspectors to enter.

The SPVM declared the Victoria Square encampment illegal, in violation of Montreal bylaws banning unauthorized use of public space, which is also invoked to dismantle homeless encampments. Police say some 15 protesters were told to leave but were not arrested, and that they were cooperative and were able to collect their belongings.

SPVM spokesperson Veronique Dubuc said that while no arrests were made during the dismantling of the encampment, an 18-year-old man was arrested for having assaulted a police officer by directing a laser at the officer's eye on the morning of June 25.

See The Suburban on Wednesday for full story including community reaction.