ASIRT completes investigation into police response to UCalgary encampment

Alberta’s police watchdog has completed its investigation into the removal of a protest encampment on the University of Calgary campus earlier this year.

Calgary police say Police Chief Mark Neufeld has been notified by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) of the completion of investigation and say the watchdog found no evidence of serious injuries.

The University of Calgary Students’ Union called for an independent review into the police response at a pro-Palestinian encampment that popped up on the schools’ campus back in May.

Police used pepper balls to help break up the crowd which, at its peak, was estimated to be around 150 people. The union claimed multiple students were injured during the police response.

“Using the definition of ‘serious’ that is regularly employed by ASIRT when conducting investigations into harm caused by police, ASIRT has found that the allegation of ‘serious’ injuries cannot be verified,” reads a release from CPS.

Calgary police say any complaints related to the encampment removal will now be under the mandate of CPS’ professional standards section. They’ve received eight complaints so far.

The release from CPS says ASIRT had full cooperation from both Calgary and Edmonton police, including access to body camera footage and complaint documentation.

ASIRT began investigating the response at the request of Premier Danielle Smith.

Calgary police are being accused of intimidation and violence after arrests were made and tickets were handed out during a pro-Palestinian protest last month.

The student encampment at UCalgary in May was part of a wave of student protests that popped up on university and college campuses across North American in protest of the Israel-Hamas war.