Protests that led to TMU students’ arrests ‘symptoms’ of campus polarization: review
An external review of two protests at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) that resulted in student arrests concluded the incidents were "symptoms of a deteriorating campus climate" following the start of the Israel-Hamas war. The report, authored by former Ontario Court of Appeal judge Mary Lou Benotto and lawyer Margot Finley, warns similar disruptions may recur unless the university takes decisive action.
The Sept. 19 and Nov. 5 protests saw a student arrested for disrupting a TMU-hosted Democracy Forum and multiple protesters arrested for interfering with speakers linked to the Israel Defense Forces. The 197-page document cites TMU's existing policies that could address the problematic behavior but highlights the university's "frequent failure to apply them consistently and decisively," exacerbating tensions.
Recommendations include revising TMU's freedom of speech policy to explicitly prohibit intimidation, harassment, discrimination, and interference with free expression. Other steps advised involve setting clear expectations for protests, ensuring lawful events aren't denied due to expected opposition, and better regulating online harassment, intimidation, doxxing, and similar conduct.
The report acknowledges that while the university can't resolve the Middle East conflict or eliminate disagreements, it can establish behavioral expectations, protect community rights, and enforce policies consistently, transparently, and predictably.
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