On Day 6 of McGill encampment, pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel protesters face off [Video]

Two opposing protests faced off outside McGill University in downtown Montreal Thursday afternoon, where a pro-Palestinian encampment set up on Saturday remains in place.

The students in the encampment are demanding McGill divest from companies with business ties to Israel.

The encampment occupies a space of several thousand square metres on the university’s large front lawn on Sherbrooke Street. It started with 20 tents and has grown significantly since the weekend, with many supporters showing up every day in addition to those camping there every night.

A pro-Israel demonstration was organized in response to the encampment Thursday. Those protesters stood outside McGill’s Roddick Gates, which were blocked by Montreal police on bicycles and horseback. 

The demonstrators arrived at around 12:30 p.m. and waved Israeli flags and held signs saying “Release the hostages,” and “Bring them home now.” They played music in Hebrew and set up a large screen in front of the campus, where they played …