HALIFAX — Dalhousie University says it will comply with any police requests to provide copies of Facebook postings of sexually violent comments that male dentistry students are alleged to have made about their female classmates.
The university issued a statement late Tuesday after media reports that it rejected a request from Halifax police to provide the information.
"Dalhousie will always co-operate with the police on any matter," the university said. "Of course, Dalhousie will share the requested information with Halifax Regional Police in compliance with the law."
In an interview, university spokesman Brian Leadbetter said the university will meet with police on Wednesday.
Const. Pierre Bourdages said in an interview late Tuesday that Dalhousie University initially refused the request for the postings based on student privacy concerns.
He said police look forward to receiving the information.
"We welcome any information that would help us ... make a determination if there is any evidence of criminal wrongdoing," he said.
"By having a look at these unedited Facebook posts that should allow us to understand exactly what this is and whether it warrants a criminal investigation."
Reports of the offensive posts and the university's initial response prompted rallies and calls for the expulsion of the 13 students.
The Facebook page at the centre of the controversy has been taken down.
But according to the CBC, members of the Class of DDS Gentlemen page on Facebook voted on which woman they'd like to have "hate" sex with and joked about using chloroform on women. The CBC said in another post, a woman is shown in a bikini with a caption that says, "Bang until stress is relieved or unconscious (girl)."
The students who were part of the Facebook group have been ordered to attend classes remotely and are suspended from clinical duties.
