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Tensions flared on both sides Friday as Western University warned pro-Palestinian encampment members against building a “more permanent” on-campus base while protesters expressed concern over the school’s next potential steps.
The on-campus camp – in place since May 8, with about 30 people sleeping there nightly – was fortified when protesters brought in building materials Thursday night, alarming university officials who also accused the group of “egregious abuse” of a nearby washroom.
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“We continue to grapple with concerning behaviours,” said a statement signed by two Western officials, John Doerksen and Opiyo Oloya. “This week we have seen egregious abuse of washroom space in the University Community Centre and (Thursday) evening encampment members brought substantial construction materials to campus and built a more permanent barricade.”
The school’s security department has warned against these actions, the statement noted. “This fortification creates further dangers in addition to the hazards already presented by propane tanks, heaters, and so on.”
The protest is now in its eighth week. The school stated it’s reviewing its options and looking at what other schools have done to clear out similar protests – University of Toronto officials went to court seeking an injunction to end theirs – and made it clear they don’t consider Western’s encampment a peaceful protest.
One member of the protest group, the Western Divestment Coalition, fired back in an interview on Friday, saying heaters and propane tanks “have been removed for a while now” and expressing concern about the school’s next moves.
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“The (school’s) statement was very disappointing,” said Mahmoud Elsaleh, a fourth-year psychology student. “And it’s very clear that Western is now implying that they might seek (a court) injunction, like U of T (University of Toronto), or they might sue the students for millions of dollars, like what happened at the University of Waterloo.
“Or they might even call the cops to violently take down the encampment.”
Thursday’s statement from school officials cited no specific next steps, though it did state: “Patience is running thin as our property and our staff are subjected to further abusive behaviour, and as we continue to hear from other members of our community and visitors that they feel unsafe and unwelcome.”
A washroom at the nearby University Community Centre was off-limits Friday, with school officials suggesting protesters had damaged it. Elsaleh said this was likely based on information from a school employee he says was “hostile” with protesters.
The two sides were set to meet late Friday afternoon.
An expected boiling point occurred earlier this month, over a 10-day run of spring graduation ceremonies on campus. There were few disruptions, with encampment protesters telling The Free Press at the time they planned to be “respectful” throughout. But last week graduates from the Ivey school of business at Western were greeted by pro-Palestinian protesters when they left left Alumni Hall following their convocation ceremony.
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About 200 protesters then headed to the business school’s main building on Western Road, where they chanted and drummed in the presence of Ivey graduates and their families.
Protesters have stated Western invests in military contracts that supply Israel and other companies tied to Israel, and they want those investments ended. The group has said it targeted the Ivey building because the business school has an exchange program with Israel.
The on-campus protest, akin to ones at universities across North America, is in response to Israel’s months-long military offensive in Hamas-controlled Gaza, which was prompted by an Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack against Israelis.
ndebono@postmedia.com
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