Pro-Palestinian protesters who were part of an encampment at the University of Toronto left the downtown campus ahead of the deadline imposed by an Ontario court injunction.

They say they left King’s College Circle on their own terms to avoid a possible confrontation with police.

The protesters’ decision to leave comes after a court ruling that authorized police to arrest and remove those who did not leave the site by the Wednesday 6 p.m. deadline.

A spokesperson for the demonstration says they consider their protest throughout the school’s convocation period a victory.

READ MORE: Police plan to enforce order that U of T encampment come down