Pro-Palestinian student activists occupy McGill University building

Student protesters at McGill University are occupying the school's James Administration Building at its downtown campus.

Thursday evening, masked demonstrators could be seen opening windows, chanting and waving a Palestinian flag on what appeared to be the third floor.

A line of police officers stood on the street below.

Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) McGill posted a lengthy statement on Telegram, saying the university has so far shut down its demands for McGill to divest from companies with ties to Israel.

"Students have blockaded themselves inside the building to take ownership of the university that continues to fund and be complicit in the genocide of the Palestinian people," the statement read.

"As the Zionist forces push deeper into Rafah, perpetrating horrific crimes and massacres, McGill administrators shamelessly refuse to cut financial and academic ties."

A pro-Palestinian student encampment with dozens of tents and temporary fencing surrounding them has been on the campus's front lawn since April 27.

Last week, McGill president Deep Saini published a letter calling for a stronger police response following escalating tensions. Saini listed incidents where protesters had followed university administrators to their homes and demonstrated outside.

He also described how a table with rotting food was left outside one university office with the names of staff members listed on a sign and red handprints next to them.

Montreal police have so far taken a passive approach to the more than month-long pro-Palestinian encampment.

Two court injunction requests by McGill have so far been refused by Quebec Superior Court judges to have the encampment dismantled.