McGill

Déry warns universities not to tolerate hate

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By Joel Goldenberg
The Suburban

Higher Education Minister Pascale Déry sent a letter to the heads of universities Aug. 30 calling them to a meeting Sept. 16 to explain their policies and warn them not to tolerate hate and violence on their campuses, especially as the Oct. 7 anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel approaches.

Concordia University is the subject of a lawsuit alleging it tolerated antisemitic behaviour on its campus for months and even years, while an anti-Israel encampment was allowed to remain on the McGill campus for 10 weeks, accompanied by antisemitic chants and graffiti glorifying terrorism.

Déry posted on social media last week that “no one is indifferent to the tragic conflict in the Middle East. However, we cannot tolerate tensions being brought to our campuses through vandalism, intimidation and incitement to hatred.”

She also posted the letter, which says to the university heads that this past summer, “we asked you to share with us the means you have at your disposal to counter bullying, harassment, racism, violence, hatred or any other problem, with the aim of fostering a healthy and safe climate on campuses, and avoiding the excesses that we have witnessed in recent months.

“In light of what we have gathered, you do indeed have various levers at your disposal, such as various institutional policies and, in certain cases, the presence of an interdisciplinary crisis management intervention team. the letter adds. “However, on the eve of the start of the school year and in light of the armed conflict that is still raging in the Middle East, I am very concerned about the climate of tension that reigns on certain campuses. I ask you to be even more vigilant and above all proactive, by better communicating your internal policies and regulations to your entire community and ensuring that they are enforced, where appropriate.”

Dery added that as she has said publicly several times, “our establishments must remain places of exchange, debate and discussion, in a constructive and respectful environment. We will not tolerate any form of hate speech, intimidation, violence and incitement to hatred.

“To this end, I invite you to a follow-up meeting on Sept. 16 to continue discussions to this effect and explore avenues to support your actions. In the meantime, I ask you to send me your crisis management policy or emergency measures plan in the context of cultural tensions and international conflicts, to avoid any overflow on campuses, particularly in anticipation of October 7.” n

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McGill will only tolerate peaceful and time limited protests:Saini

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

By Joel Goldenberg
The Suburban

McGill will only tolerate peaceful protests on campus going forward, and not situations like the pro-Palestinian encampment that was on the university grounds from April 27 to July 10, McGill president Deep Saini said Aug. 28.

The encampment was cleared by a private company hired by McGill while the SPVM, as well as the SQ, surrounded the area around the campus.

Saini was interviewed at a virtual Zoom town hall by Mount Royal MP Anthony Housefather, who is also the Prime Minister’s Special Advisor on Jewish Community Relations and Antisemitism. Hundreds of people listened in.

Saini said McGill’s actions during the encampment were not perfect, “but did we handle it as well as we could have under the circumstances, I think more or less, yes. The rear view mirror is always very instructive….We are working without a playbook, we’re learning from every experience, and saying ‘how do we do the next thing better?’”

Housefather then asked if there will be enhanced security at McGill this semester, and what will the university do to ensure people feel safer and not have to hear antisemitic chants and have incidents like an effigy of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hanging from the Roddick gates or the occupation of a university building and terrorizing its occupants, as took place.

Saini replied that if there is a peaceful protest on campus “that is not also engaging in targeted hate against a particular community or individual, and it’s an expression of your political opinion, by all means, do that.

“But a protest has a time limit on it. You can’t say ‘I’m going to set up an encampment and that’s my form of protest,’ or ‘I’m going to take over a building.’ Time limited, specified subject in a specified place, you express your views and you move on and you have a debate.”

Housefather said, “and not carrying symbols of terrorist organizations, not chanting things that a terrorist organization would chant.”

Saini replied that “once you cross the line, then we have multiple levels of security now — I don’t want to go into the details of it — but what we have put in place is that depending on the nature of an offence, we will deploy security. We have our own security, we have access to additional help from outside and we have a better understanding with the Montreal police — of what the Montreal police can and cannot do.”

Saini said he feels “we have all the right steps in place that give us the best, at this moment, tools to deal with a disruption.”

Housefather also asked about alleged “abuse of podium” situations in which professor expresses his or her view of the Israel-Hamas war in a class where the subject is not relevant, or where students feel uncomfortable if they take a position contrary to that of the educator.

Saini replied that this past Aug, 22, a note was sent to all faculty and staff “laying out the rules of engagement going forward.

“They include a clear message to our faculty of what is permissible under academic freedom and freedom of speech, and what constitutes abuse of podium, particularly when you’re in a position of power. Nobody would be allowed to abuse their position or podium to make a statement projecting their own beliefs to the people.” n

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A look back on student encampments and resistance

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Students set up McGill encampment for Palestine. Photo Hannah Scott-Talib

Zina Chouaibi & Geneviève Sylvestre,
Local Journalism Initiative

The dismantling of the McGill encampment was not the end of Palestinian solidarity in Montreal

Over the past year, universities in Montreal and across the world have witnessed a surge in student activism, with campus encampments serving as symbols of Palestinian solidarity.

Antler, a camper at the McGill University encampment, who was granted a pseudonym for safety reasons, was about to leave Montreal for summer break when the encampment was erected on April 27. Instead, she chose to stay in the city to show her solidarity.

“This is a student opportunity that doesn’t happen often. It’s the first encampment in Canada, it was in a school that is already on stolen land, it had a lot of backstory to it that was very important to us,” said Antler. “At the time of the encampment, it kind of felt like it was the most we could do.”

The encampment brought unprecedented attention to the issue of divestment, highlighting activists’ demands that McGill and Concordia divest from companies with connections to the ongoing genocide and cut all academic ties with Israel.   

McGill filed three injunctions in an attempt to get the encampment removed. Two were rejected by Quebec Superior Court judges, and the last was withdrawn by McGill after the dismantlement of the camp by a private security firm on Jul. 10.

“The fact that it was forcefully removed by mercenaries only contributed positively to the momentum,” a representative from Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) McGill said. 

According to the representative, the encampments showcased the unity and power of the student front.

“We had never seen this much media coverage on this topic despite divestment being a demand for the past two decades,” they said.

Antler was not present the day the encampment was taken down, but says she is very proud of what all the campers accomplished.

“Honestly, more than anything, more than disappointed, I was just very, very proud of how long the encampment stayed and how resilient the students were,” she said. 

The removal of the encampments did not mark the end of the divestment movement, but rather a shift in tactics. Activists like Hassan Ridha from the Palestinian Youth Movement are now focusing on long-term strategies that involve coalition-building across different communities.

“When multiple separate efforts are joined together, they become more powerful,” Ridha said.

Despite the lack of meaningful progress from university administrations, Ridha sees the rise in solidarity as a significant victory.

“I consider the unification of students, businesses, professionals and parents a major success of the encampment,” he said. 

According to the SPHR McGill representative, the Montreal community played a crucial role in supporting the encampments and keeping the movement alive.

“The Montreal community has supported us throughout the encampment with donations for what was necessary to keep the encampment alive,” the SPHR McGill representative said. “That in itself plays a huge role in achieving divestment.” 

Currently, activists like Ridha are looking to engage new supporters to sustain the movement, particularly incoming students who may be unfamiliar with the history of the encampments. 

“To engage new supporters, it is important to be as present as possible in as many places as possible,” Ridha said. He believes that by expanding the movement’s reach and involving more communities, the movement can continue to grow and evolve.

“At the end of the day, we are students who don’t want our tuition money to go to the funding of a genocide,” the SPHR McGill representative said. “That is such a simple ask: justice.” 

With files from Maria Cholakova

This article originally appeared in Volume 45, Issue 1, published September 3, 2024.

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McGill encampment dismantled after more than two months

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By Joel Goldenberg
The Suburban

The anti-Israel encampment at McGill University was taken down last week after more than two months, a period that included violent and intimidating actions by the protesters, unsanitary conditions, an attempt at negotiating by McGill and legal attempts by McGill and Spiegel Sohmer senior partner Neil Oberman to move the encampment out.

The City of Montreal recently dismantled the encampment at Victoria Square. In McGill’s case, a private security firm was hired to do the actual dismantling, while the SPVM and some SQ officers surrounded the area around the campus. The University of Ottawa encampment was dismantled the same day.

A McGill alert that day said, “as members of the McGill community are aware, the university has been subject to ongoing and escalating acts of violence and vandalism associated with the encampment, up to and including criminal acts on campus last weekend (smashed windows and assault on a guard),” a McGill alert said. “The encampment is the site of profound health and safety risks that continue to grow in scope and severity. To protect the security of the McGill community and the integrity of our property, the encampment on the lower field of the downtown campus is being dismantled.”

At the scene itself, Sherbrooke Street westward from University was blocked off by police, and anti-Israel protesters stood on Sherbrooke, calling the police fascists and Zionists terrorists, and promising Intifada, while the dismantling proceeded on the campus.

On Thursday night, protesters and police clashed physically at Phillips Square, one of many frequent anti-Israel protest sites. SPVM officers dispersed pepper spray and tear gas and projectiles were thrown at police. One 22-year-old man was arrested for obstruction of police action and assaulting an officer. The individual was released pending a court appearance.

McGill president Deep Saini stated last week why the last straw was broken.

“People linked to the camp have harassed our community members, engaged in antisemitic intimidation, damaged and destroyed McGill property, forcefully occupied a building, clashed with police, and committed acts of assault,” he stated last week. “They also hosted a ‘revolutionary youth summer program’ advertised with images of masked individuals holding assault rifles. The risks emanating from the camp have been escalating, steadily and dangerously.”

Saini further stated that other factors leading to the dismantling were that, “two drug overdoses occurred in the camp since July 6. Syringes [were] visible, and illegal narcotics have been sold there. The camp is infested with rats. There are fire risks, including a propane canister and flammable materials next to the tents.” n

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Anti-Hate coalition says McGill should BDS Hamas, Iran links

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

By Joel Goldenberg
The Suburban

The United Against Hate Canada coalition wrote to McGill president Deep Saini in reaction to the university’s recent announcement that it was proposing to negotiate some of the demands of those involved with the more than two-month long anti-Israel encampment on the campus grounds.

The pro-Palestinian activists referred to McGill’s proposals as “laughable.” McGill stopped negotiating in mid-June.

Marvin Rotrand of United Against Hate Canada told The Suburban his group is questioning “McGill’s weak kneed response to anti-Israel protests and its supine attitude in the face of increasingly maximalist demands from a relative small, masked and totally unrepresentative group of protesters, many of whom are likely not McGill students.

“Rather than considering acceding to protesters’ shameful demands and offering amnesties, we are calling on the university to do the following — boycott, divest and sanction all nations, businesses and institutions that fund Hamas as well as cutting ties with all industries and academic institutions that have links with the Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies, including Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and other terrorist entities,” Rotrand added. n

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Pro-Palestinians blockade McGill official’s NDG home

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

By Beryl Wajsman, Editor
The Suburban

Several dozen Pro-Palestinian demonstrators blockaded the home of McGill Associate Provost for Equity Angela Campbell in NDG Sunday. They set up a tent with posters and Palestinian flags and shouted intimidating screeds through bullhorns in the quiet residential area. They included some aimed directly at Campbell telling her that she “can’t hide” and accusing her of being complicit in the what they describe as a genocide.

The police closed off streets around Monkland but according to neighbours speaking on condition of anonymity said they would not intervene as long as it remained a “peaceful” protest. SPVM spokesperson Cst.Caroline Chevrefils confirmed the details of the events to The Suburban.The demonstration broke up after three hours.

Regarding the incident at Campbell’s home, McGill stated, “McGill condemns this absolutely unacceptable behaviour. Targeting people and their families at their residence crosses the line from peaceful protest to intimidation and harassment.”

McGill still has not yet signed a trespass complaint with the police against the encampment but will be back in court seeking a permanent injunction to remove the encampment on the grounds that McGill is the owner of the property the encampment is occupying. Its temporary injunction request was denied last week because of what the court said was a failure to demonstrate “urgency.”

McGill’s new injunction demand would have the protesters barred from “camping or occupying in any manner whatsoever” as well as from protesting in any way that is in violation of university policy on its downtown campus. The order would also authorize bailiffs tasked with serving the judgment to “call upon any peace officer to assist them.” n

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Oberman testifies at Commons Committee on antisemitism

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

By Joel Goldenberg
The Suburban

Lawyer Neil Oberman, the senior partner at Spiegel Sohmer who has succeeded in obtaining six injunctions to move anti-Israel protests 50 metres from Jewish community institutions, testified last week in Ottawa at the House of Commons Justice Committee regarding the antisemitism that is rampant in Canada, particularly on many university campuses.

Oberman has also served legal warnings on McGill and Concordia demanding action be taken by them to deal with antisemitism on campus. “As a lawyer and a supporter of my community, I think the need for this committee in 2024 goes to show how some of our Canadian values have deteriorated,” Oberman told the committee. “I want to express my concern with the rise in antisemitism that has been documented by various organizations and agencies. Antisemitism is not a thing of the past, but a present and growing threat to our society [and is] not only a problem for Jewish people, but for everyone who values human rights, democracy, and pluralism.”

Oberman also told the committee that “many members of our community have experienced intimidation, hate, bullying and aggression because they are Jewish. When people yell out ‘From the river to the sea’ and ‘intifada,’ all it does is create an atmosphere of aggression towards an identifiable community, which knows exactly what it is supposed to mean.”

The lawyer said numerous examples of antisemitism have been brought to his attention, including a “student being beaten in elementary school by classmates for not supporting Palestine, and when the teacher witnesses it, she encourages the beating; antisemitic student newspapers on campus promoting hatred by propagating tropes; antisemitic graffiti on campuses; a Concordia University group attacking students for being Jewish”, the protests and blockades leading to a need for an injunction to protect local Jewish community institutions “a Jewish teacher being targeted for having a friend who used to be in the IDF and then being subject to a protest outside of her school while she was teaching and a change.org petition for her employer to fire her,” and “Jewish students being harassed by teachers on CEGEP campuses to donate money to organizations that promote hatred.”

Oberman said intimidation on university campuses, CEGEPs and other academic institutions “is in my view the most serious matter facing our community today. “The young people of our community are part of the future and are currently being targeted because they are Jewish. When you discourage, intimidate, bully, and instill fear in a student, you in effect break their morale and impact their ability to want to stay in the community and grow with the community for the future. There is still hope, there is still a bright future, but we must collaborate as one to ensure that hatred does not overcome our Canadian values.” n

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