Jewish faculty offer support for pro-Palestinian UBC rally
Organization `extremely concerned' for students' safety amid divestment effort
Some faculty from post-secondary institutions in British Columbia are lending their support to a camp of pro-Palestinian activists, many of whom are students from the University of B.C., Simon Fraser and Emily Carr universities.
They have also begun to express concerns for the physical well-being of the protesters.
More than four dozen protesters were camped in tents on UBC's MacInnes Field for the fourth day Thursday, demanding UBC cut ties with “companies such as Lockheed Martin, a weapons company that is directly causing harm, killing Palestinians.”
In a statement Thursday, the Jewish Faculty Network said, “Having seen the unnecessary violent response to peaceful encampments across North America, we are extremely concerned for the safety of students at UBC.”
The organization of Jewish faculty from universities and colleges across Canada says it “supports the rights of the UBC students to peacefully protest in solidarity with Palestine.” It said when a member visited the camp at UBC this week, they found “the mood welcoming and friendly.”
“The encampment has made it very clear in their community guidelines and external communications that antisemitism and all forms of discrimination are strictly prohibited,” reads its statement.
Camp organizer Naisha Khan, who has declined to say whether she is a UBC student, said protesters have been uplifted by the support of Faculty for Palestine, an organization of more than 600 faculty from across Canada, who are making regular visits to the camp.
On Thursday, UBC's Centre for Climate Justice publicly rejected any move to punish students and their supporters, whether academically, professionally or criminally.
“Having already witnessed shocking displays of police brutality against similar encampments on campuses across North America, we are extremely alarmed that our university, in its first communication about the peaceful protest, mentioned liaising with the RCMP. Universities have a profound duty of care towards their students that must shape UBC's response.”
The new wave of support comes as arrests played out early Thursday on university campuses that held similar demonstrations across Canada and the United States.
The camp is “meant to be a microcosm of the decolonial world we are all trying to build — one that is safe and uplifts others,” said Khan.
The camp features a scheduled prayer time, a small library, a medic area, two portable bathrooms, and an art tent where participants can paint banners to hang on the fences put up by protesters, who are from varying cultural and religious backgrounds. Regular updates about the continuing Israel-Hamas war are communicated through a loud hailer.
Those who join the demonstration must agree to a set of community guidelines, indicating they are to wear a face mask, a head covering — to protect themselves from surveillance — and not communicate any antisemitic or Islamophobic sentiments or remarks.
“There is no space for hate or anything like that here,” Khan said.
The protesters are also being asked not to communicate with police, the university, and counter-protesters, or provide their identity to other demonstrators.
As of Thursday, UBC has not taken any formal action against the camp. But in a statement released Wednesday, the university said there have been “concerning actions at the site.”
UBC also said it is aware that several protest participants are non-UBC community members.
Khan agreed that several activists involved in the camp are not affiliated with the university, but said the grassroots pro-Palestinian group has not received any financial assistance from entities outside of the university.
During Monday's counter-protest, 40 or so people were waving Israeli flags outside the campus field. Many were also not UBC community members, Khan said.
While the group has not yet communicated with the university in regards to its demands, Khan said it has a pro bono lawyer on call in case.
“We demand that the university condemn the genocide and show its support for the Palestinian cause, which it has failed to do,” Khan said.
Israel's campaign in Gaza was launched after Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages. The Israeli offensive has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials.