Multiple injuries in Montreal after group altercation at Concordia University over Israel-Hamas war

Montreal police say a 22-year-old student was arrested Wednesday after allegedly assaulting a 54-year-old security guard at Concordia University during a violent altercation involving several people who align with opposing sides of the conflict in Israel and Gaza.

Around 1:30 p.m., calls were made to 911 regarding a conflict downtown on de Maisonneuve Boulevard near Mackay Street, according to Montreal police spokesperson Const. Caroline Chvrefils.

When police arrived on the scene, they assisted security guards who weretrying to manage a conflict between several students, the spokesperson said.

The altercation began with anargument between two groups of students who have opposing views about the war in the Middle East, she said. It then escalated to violence.

The arrested student was laterreleased on a promise to appear in court, Chvrefilssaid.

A second security guard,19, and another student, 23, were injured by assaults during the altercation. All three people suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were not transported to hospital.

Police were on the scene until 4:15 p.m., Chvrefils said, and the investigation is ongoing.

WATCH | Videos captured by witnesses showchaos at Concordia University:

Tensions erupt at Concordia University over Hamas-Israel war

8 months ago

Duration 2:41

There were multiple injuries and one arrest after a chaotic scene unfolded Wednesday afternoon in Montreal when tensions flared between two groups of students who stand on either side of the Hamas-Israel conflict.

There are countering points of view emerging as to how thesituation devolved into violence.

Sarah Wolman, a second-year Concordia student who is a part ofa group called Jews on Campus, said the organization was trying to hold a peaceful demonstration inside the university's Hall buildingin support of the hostages taken by Hamas.

But by the time she arrived at the demonstration a Shabbat table set to honour the hostages she heard yelling and saw a crowd chanting pro-Palestinian slogans, surrounding the table. A few tables down, there had been a table set up to sell keffiyehs, a traditional Arab headdress, she said.

"It was very productive in the beginning," Wolman said, describing conversations with some of the people who surrounded the table, "but then slowly things started to turn."

Wolman said the crowd became increasingly hostile and the people at the Shabbattablewere outnumbered.

"People were calling us all murderers," she said. "Some of us noticed our classmates there."

The altercation deteriorated, with punches thrown and more shouting until police and campus security succeeded in separating the groups. The pro-Palestinian crowd continued to demonstrate outside the university and Wolman and the other students were escorted out off campus by security guards, she said.

Wolman described the situation as "very scary, very scary as a Jewish person on campus."

Sarah Shamysays she stopped by before the confrontation startedto buy a scarf from students who had a pro-Palestinian kiosk set up to raise money for a charity. Shamy said that a group of pro-Israel people came barging in and began screaming anti-Palestinian slogans and slurs at them.

Pro-Palestinian students then surged into counter-demonstrate, and it quickly led to violence,Shamy said. She said many pro-Palestinian demonstrators were attacked and she, along with others, have submitted evidence to police to that effect.

"I think it just goes to show how Palestinian and pro-Palestinestudents have been faced with an onslaught of harassment and discrimination and doxing, which we can see is happening as we speak in this incident," she said.

A spokesperson for Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights Concordia(SPHR) said in an email to CBC that the group had organized the fundraiser in solidarity with the people of Gaza, but it was disrupted by "confrontations provoked by pro-Zionist supporters."

"It should be noted that we tolerated a high level of verbal and physical abuse in our attempt to manage the situation," the spokesperson wrote in an unsigned email.

"In the midst of this incident, it's crucial to clarify that our club members had no involvement in the confrontation. We were merely engaged in selling our merchandise as part of our fundraising efforts. Our sole aim was to generate funds for the people of Gaza, and we were not responsible for the events that transpired during the fundraiser."

Several incidents on campus, Concordia says

The altercation was just one of three separate incidents on Wednesday in which violence or incitement to violence took place, according to Graham Carr, the president and vice-chancellor of Concordia University, who posted a message on the university's website.

The other incidents included a social media post from a student group that "could reasonably be construed as inciting violence," Carr wrote, and the discovery of swastikas in a university building.

Carr said the violent altercation in the Hall building involved "some students and some individuals external to our community."

"I am deeply saddened and disgusted that the actions of a few individuals have now brought us to the point that we arrived at today," Carr wrote. "Both Jewish and Muslim members of our community have reported provocative comments, insensitive or hostile social media posts, and expressed fears for their security on campus."

Mayor Valrie Plantecondemned the violence on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"Acts of violence such as those that affected Concordia students today and the attack on a synagogue yesterday are unacceptable," she said.

She was referring tothe police investigation intoremnants of Molotov cocktails that were found at a synagogue and Jewish community centre in the Montreal suburb of Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que., overnight Monday.

"These hateful acts have absolutely no place in Montreal: A city of peace, security and kindness," she said.

Plante said each event like this will be investigated by Montreal police, which will not hold back when it comes to maintaining security. She called on people to resist violence, and instead stay united while demonstrating for peace.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau saidCanada needs to be a model for how to get through this conflict between Hamas and Israel.

"That's the responsibility of every single Canadian to see how we are recognizing each other's pain and fear and move forward on it," he said.