Calgary police say ASIRT unable to verify serious injury claims during U of C protest camp removal

Calgary police said ASIRT could not verify allegations of serious injuries during the removal ofa pro-Palestinian protest camp last May at the University of Calgary and the police watchdog's investigation is now complete.

The police service made the announcement late Tuesday afternoon in arelease. CBC News has reached out to the police and the Alberta SeriousIncident Response Team for comment but did not receive an immediate response.

In May, pro-Palestinian protesters set up an encampment at the University of Calgary campus,with a stated goalof pressuring the university to disclose and divest its financial ties with Israel. It followed similar demonstrationsat other Canadian and U.S.campuses.

Calgary police officers forcibly cleared the protest encampment, whichled to anASIRT investigation of police actions.

Calgary police arrested five peopleunder the Trespass to Premises Act in relation to the protest, three of whom were charged.All have since been released.

Police previously saidthere were no injuries to civilians or officers during the protest, but protesters disputed that claim.

On Tuesday, Calgary police said in a release that Chief Mark Neufeld was told by Minister of Public Safety andEmergency Services Mike Ellis thatASIRT's investigation is now complete and the matter no longer falls under the police watchdog's mandate.

Allcomplaints related to the U of C protest will now fall under the mandate of the CPS Professional Standards Section, according to Calgary police.

Eight complaints have been received by investigators so far, police said.

The U of C previously told CBC Newsthe pro-Palestinian protest camp was removed based on sections of three university policy documents.

"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," the Calgary Police Service said in Tuesday'sstatement.

CPS added ASIRT received the full cooperation of both Calgary and Edmonton police, including providing access tobody worn camera footage where it existed and the forwarding of complaints.

CBC News has also reached out tothe University of Calgary, the Student's Union at the University of Calgary and the provincial governmentfor comment but they did not immediatelyrespond.