Concordia University Closes Campus Amid Protest Concerns

**Concordia University Closes Campus Amid Protest Concerns** Concordia University has decided to close its downtown campus on Tuesday, October 7, due to anticipated protests marking the second anniversary of the Hamas attacks in Israel. University President Graham Carr informed students in an email that the closure aims to prevent "potentially obstructive" demonstrations. The attacks on October 7, 2021, resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and led to around 250 hostages being taken in Gaza, according to Israeli reports. Following the attacks, Israel declared war on Hamas, which has since resulted in over 66,000 fatalities in Gaza, as reported by the Gaza Health Ministry. On Tuesday, thousands of students in Montreal are expected to strike in solidarity with Palestinians affected by the ongoing conflict. Protests are planned for the afternoon near Concordia's Henry F. Hall Building and the Square-Victoria–OACI Metro station. Carr stated that the decision to close the campus was made to "protect our entire community." He noted that while protests have occurred on campus in the past two years, the university has never had to take such preventive measures before. The situation escalated recently when two individuals were arrested during a protest on Monday. One was charged with assaulting a security guard, while the other was arrested for mischief after triggering a fire alarm. Carr confirmed that neither of the arrested individuals were affiliated with Concordia. With expectations of "hundreds" of protesters from various universities and CEGEPs, as well as counter-protesters, Carr emphasized that the potential for significant disruption was too high for the university to continue normal operations. Student associations at Concordia, McGill, and other local institutions have voted to strike in response to Israel's actions and to advocate for divestment from companies linked to Israel. The university's decision reflects ongoing tensions surrounding the conflict and the impact it has had on the campus community. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.