Montreal — Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu never made it to the podium on Sept. 9 due to security concerns as a massive protest raged outside the Hall Building. When Concordia Rector Frederick Lowy announced the lecture would be cancelled at 12:55 p.m., the crowd in H-110 shouted, “You let them win!” and “This is democracy!?” Because the RCMP, Montreal police, and Netanyahu’s security did not feel he could enter the building safely, the only choice was to cancel. “It’s deeply disturbing,” said Noah Sarna, co-president of Hillel Concordia. “People should have the right to speak their minds in an open, pluralistic form. This is disgusting. This university is for everyone. I don’t necessarily agree with [Netanyahu] or would vote for him, but I believe that he [had] the right to speak. This is a sad day for Concordia.”
Starting early Monday morning, hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters mobbed de Maisonneuve Blvd. in front of the building and sealed off its entrances while shouting slogans, singing songs and waving Palestinian flags. Inside, dozens more occupied the mezzanine and gathered on the ground floor escalator, chanting “Netanyahu, criminal!” “Free, free Palestine!” and heckled those who had passed through security and were on their way to the lecture. “This war criminal, this murderer, this man who was responsible for the misery of thousands upon thousands of Palestinians, will be less than 100 yards from us. What excuse do we have for letting him into our school?” said Palestinian student Samer Elatrash. “None!” the crowd roared. Security was tight, with metal detectors set up at the Bishop St. entrance that had to be passed though before people could proceed to room H-110, where the lecture would have been held. The protest began to get chaotic around 11:40 a.m. when masked protesters broke through barricades surrounding the mezzanine and swarmed down the escalator before being stopped by riot police. At about the same time, the situation became more heated when there was a clash between protesters inside the Hall Building and riot police. Surrounded by a phalanx of at least twelve police at all times, protesters at the bottom of the escalator were beaten with clubs and shields. Pepper spray was deployed outside after protesters smashed a front window of the Hall Building, and those inside were tear gassed after they voiced intentions to storm past police and seat themselves in the lobby. Those inside room H-110 were not allowed to leave until the gas had cleared. Yoni Petel, the president of Montreal Hillel, was one of many who addressed the frustrated crowd and asked them to remain calm.
“This victory wasn’t for those who are interested in hatred and racism. The victory isn’t theirs. The victory is ours. We will not give up on this university because this is our school. This is not Gaza, this is Montreal.” When asked how he felt, Gabriel, a 23-year-old management student who didn’t want his last name published, said: “Frustrated and confused. I feel that our community has lost a battle against anti-democracy. We just wanted a peaceful conference. Oh my God, I can’t believe this.”
This is not the first time a speech by Netanyahu has been cancelled.
Protesters at the University of California at Berkeley forced him to abandon a lecture there in 2000.
