The 2002 Netanyahu protest at Concordia University occurred on September 9, 2002, as a result of a scheduled visit from the then former (and now current) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The visit was cancelled after Montreal police (SPVM) and pro-Palestinian protestors clashed inside the Henry F. Hall Building at Concordia University.[1]
Protestors and students who were not involved in the protest were stopped at the escalator leading to the lobby by police in riot gear. Protesters engaged in attacks on police officers, and police engaged in attacks on protestors. Innocent bystanders were forced to defend themselves from police and protestors alike, as captured on Concordia's internal security footage as well as Royal Canadian Mounted Police and SPVM footage. At this point protesters, as well as bystanders witnessing the mutual violence between police and protestors, began banging on the large window front of Concordia's Hall building.
For the duration of the standoff, ticket-holders pushed their way through a thick crowd of protesters and police outside the building, entering the Hall building through a secured access point complete with metal detector. They were then escorted to the auditorium where the lecture was to take place. Ticket holders later complained that the protesters had subjected them to antisemitic slogans and even physical attack. Holocaust survivor Thomas Hecht was kicked in the groin by protesters and a local Rabbi was also physically assaulted.[2]
Shortly after ticket holders were escorted into the Hall building the large window front that protestors and bystanders were banging on shattered, prompting a police officer to immediately discharge pepper spray through the window of the Hall building, poisoning both the small minority of protestors involved and the large majority of innocent bystanders. The spray entered the building's ventilation system forcing an evacuation of the entire building. At approximately the same time, a second window on the building's first floor, on the western side was broken when protesters threw a metal barricade into it because they were being intimidated by police.
The immediate result of the protest and subsequent evacuation was the cancellation of the lecture. The university instituted additional measures to avert future incidents, including the banning of any events related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as enabling the use of new student disciplinary rules in case of emergency.
Five demonstrators were arrested,[3] and an additional 12 faced internal disciplinary hearings under the University's Code of Rights and Responsibilities[4]
Netanyahu was not present at the protest, having remained at Montreal's Ritz-Carlton Hotel throughout the duration. He later accused the activists of supporting terrorism and "mad zealotry."[5]
The National Film Board of Canada documentary Discordia, produced by Adam Symansky, documents the fallout from the "Concordia riot" by following three young Concordia campus activists.[6][7] In 2003 GlobalTV also aired the documentary Confrontation at Concordia, produced by Martin Himmel.
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