Achi news desk-
Pro-Palestinian protesters who have set up a tent at McGill University in Montreal say they are no closer to taking down their tents after meeting with members of the school’s administration.
Encampment spokesmen held a press conference after the meeting and said the university had not provided a clear timeline or process for meeting their demands.
The demonstrators demand that the university get rid of companies that they say are “complicit in Israel’s occupation of Palestine”, and sever ties with Israeli institutions.
Protesters cordoned off an area containing dozens of tents on McGill’s Lower Field on April 27, following a wave of similar protests on campuses in the United States.
A tent with free supplies is seen at the pro-Palestinian encampment on the McGill University campus on Monday, May 6, 2024 in Montreal. The Canadian Press/Ryan Ramuge
The speakers, who identified themselves as members of Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights McGill and Independent Jewish Voices McGill, say the protesters plan to maintain and expand their encampment until their demands are met.
McGill did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but said Sunday that it continues to work “diligently and in good faith” with all interested parties.
Last week, McGill President Deep Saini offered to hold a “forum with members of the McGill community” to discuss their demands, but only if they take down the tents.
Representatives of SPHR McGill and Independent Jewish Voices, who declined to be identified because they said they feared harassment or retaliation from the university, said Monday’s meeting came after the students presented a list of clear demands.
“This press conference follows a meeting with McGill executives where they pledged to present a concrete proposal to the coalition, but they failed to come back with a concrete process and a clear timetable,” said SPHR McGill, who described herself. As a Palestinian student.
The student said that the protesters are “stable and determined to maintain and expand this encampment until our demands are met,” adding that they are open to continued dialogue with the school.
The pro-Palestinian encampment is seen on Monday, May 6, 2024. (CTV News)
Encampment members were joined at the press conference by members of the Mohawk Mothers, who are from the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory, as well as support staff.
Daniel Schwartz, assistant professor of Russian and German cinema at McGill, spoke on behalf of what he says is a growing number of professors who oppose Israel’s military campaign against Hamas in Gaza.
“As McGill professors, we strongly oppose our university administration’s relentless campaign against the students who are working to stop the genocide in Palestine, and to support justice by ending the occupation,” he said.
The press conference was held shortly after Hamas announced that it had accepted an Egyptian-Qatari ceasefire proposal. But the students protesting at the camp said their press conference was unrelated, adding that their demands were about the sale and not a ceasefire.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on May 6, 2024.
