The Toronto police said on Friday that they will not take action to evict a pro-Palestinian camp at the University of Toronto unless in an emergency or to enforce a court order.

In an update to the Toronto Police Services Board, Vice President Rob Johnson said, "Given the way events have unfolded so far," property trespass laws do not give the police the legal authority to evict the camp.

He cited the fact that the university initially allowed protesters to remain on campus, along with a recent court decision in Quebec that prevented McGill University from obtaining a temporary injunction against a similar camp.

Last week, the University of Toronto issued a notice of trespass to the protesters who set up camp in an area known as King's College Circle and gave them a deadline to leave by Monday morning.

The protesters remained despite the notice, and the university has since applied for an injunction, seeking a court order allowing police to take action to remove protesters who refuse to leave.

Court hearings are scheduled for June 19 and 20.

In a written statement included in university court filings, the school's campus safety director said he requested the presence of several paid police officers on site 24 hours a day "to help manage any potential escalation at the camp after the trespass notice was delivered."

Ryan Dow stated in the document that the police denied the request.

The protesters said they will remain on campus until the university meets their demands, which include disclosing investments in companies benefiting from the Israeli attack on Gaza.

Similar camps have appeared on campuses across Canada in recent months, as several schools are considering or taking legal action against the protesters.

On Friday morning, the police vice president told the board that the police maintain regular communications with university officials, and they have made arrests in five incidents related to the camp.