The president of McGill University says officials have called for police assistance after pro-Palestinian protesters refused to dismantle their encampment on the university's downtown Montreal campus.

"Having to resort to police authority is a gut-wrenching decision for any university president," Saini said. "It is, by no means, a decision that I take lightly or quickly. In the present circumstances, however, I judged it necessary."

Lawyer Neil Oberman, who represents McGill students Gabriel Medvedovsky and Raihaana Adira, is set to ask a judge for a provisional injunction against the encampment on Tuesday afternoon.

The injunction request, expected to be filed at the Montreal courthouse at 2 p.m., will target groups currently protesting on campus, according to Oberman. McGill University is named as an interested party in the case.