The pro-Palestinian encampment outside Western's University Community Centre (credit: Jack Sutton, XFM News)
Western University has issued a statement calling for an end to the encampment protest.
“As it enters its third week, the encampment at Western is increasingly concerning,” says Vice-Provost (Students) John Doerksen and Associate Vice-President (Human Resources) Jane O’Brien, in a written statement on Wednesday. “Incidents of unsafe and illegal behaviour are mounting, and the university’s core principals are being compromised.”
According to Doerksen and O’Brien, there have been incidents of theft, vandalism, and assaultive behaviour. They also mention allegations of hate-speech from someone in the encampment.
“We cannot stand for any activity that puts our campus community at risk, nor will we tolerate hate of any kind.”
But the protest is not only unlawful, they say.
“The encampment has also created an environment of exclusion – one where some members of our community feel unwelcome and unsafe.”
In the statement, Doerksen and O’Brien say the university is working with London Police to help remove the encampment peacefully.
“Now is the time for it to end.”
The encampment was set up by pro-Palestinian demonstrators to pressure the university into divesting from any companies that are supportive of, or connected to, Israel. In particular, protesters have taken issue with the university’s investments in weapons manufacturing companies like Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics.
Similar encampments have been ongoing at universities across North America and have been covered extensively by media, most notably the Columbia University encampment in New York City. That protest has received condemnation from a number of organizations, particularly Jewish ones, for displays of antisemitism as well as outbreaks of violence and vandalism.
One of the protesters at Western says that is not what is happening here, and that he disagrees with the administration’s allegations of illegal activity.
“If you come and spend a day with us, you’ll see the brotherhood, sisterhood and sense of community that we’ve built,” he says.
There is a meeting scheduled today between members of the university’s administration and the protest’s organizers, but the exact details are still unknown. However, an Instagram account connected to the encampment, Western University Divestment Coalition, has been posting updates on the dialogue between protesters and the university.
“Student representatives are prepared to meet with Western administration this afternoon,” they posted. “We have requested the presence of a faculty representative and have not extended any other invitations.”
They still show no signs of dismantling the encampment. Despite the university’s statement, the account posted an announcement today inviting supporters to join them for another rally on May 24 at 6 p.m.
Jack Sutton and Georgia Newman
XFM News
