McMaster students ticketed while protesting during an open house for future students

Three McMaster University students were slapped with trespassing tickets this weekend for protesting during a university open house.

The group Hamilton Students Mobilization Network (HSMN) says students were peacefully protesting and carrying a banner during Saturday's May at Mac open house, which is attended by prospective students and their families.

The protesting students, all of whom HSMN says attend McMaster full time, asked to speak with administration, the organization says. When they were refused, the students volunteered to leave, HSMN said in a media release.

HSMN says the students were "twice accosted" by special constables on campus. In the second case, the organization says, a student was "grabbed and forcibly restrained."

The students were protesting what they say is the ongoing issue of sexual violence on campus. They were also protesting the employment of Glenn De Caire, a former Hamilton Police Service chief, as McMaster's director of security and parking services. De Caire was criticized for his handling of racial issues while he was chief.

Gord Arbeau, a McMaster spokesperson, confirmed that three people received trespassing notices.

"Our security officers received several complaints concerning the leaflets that were being distributed," he said in an email.

"The protesters were asked to disband and they did. Some returned later and continued to demonstrate. Three of them were handed trespassing notices."