Members of the encampment on the University of Guelph campus, dubbed the People’s Plaza for Palestine, have made their displeasure for the trespass notice issued this morning known.
The U of G issued the trespass today two days after the university asked the encampment to be dismantled by 8 p.m. on Sunday.
While members of the People’s Plaza for Palestine didn’t explicitly say they plan to stay, they are still occupying the space at Branion Plaza and have been for over six weeks.
If it does not vacate immediately U of G will seek an injunction order from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. If the injunction is granted people will still be able to protest but not occupy the university property overnight with tents and structures.
The People’s Plaza for Palestine held a press conference at noon today in response to the university asking them to dismantle the encampment. Over 40 people came to listen to the seven speakers in support of the pro-Palestine encampment.
“They have given us only a single day's notice to remove our encampment under the threat of legal action,” said Waida Mirzada, member and media liaison of the encampment, during her remarks.
She said members are not surprised by the tight deadline. The People’s Plaza for Palestine have always planned to redistribute materials from the encampment to community programs and for unhoused people in the community but it would take more than a day to arrange, said Mirzada.
When the encampment started the hope was for the university to divest its military-related investments in Israel.
If the university forces the People’s Plaza for Palestine to vacate “then our solidarity, our knowledge and our experience and our spirit will forever be everywhere,” said Mirzada.
“Independent Jewish voices wealth strongly condemns the University of Guelph administration's threats of legal and disciplinary action against students and employees,” said Natasha Pravaz is a member of the Guelph chapter of Independent Jewish Voices and the southwestern chapter of the Jewish Faculty Network.
She said members are inspired by the students advocating for disclosure, divestment and addressing anti-Palestinian racism on campus.
“We're grateful for the opportunity today to publicly call on the university administration to reconsider their current actions. Threatening disciplinary actions and sanctions on students and employees is unethical and violates their basic rights,” said Pravaz.
U of G is one of many university encampments in the province.
“With this latest escalation, they're emulating the University of Toronto's administration by claiming their private ownership of a patch of land overrides a student's constitutional right to protest,” said Fatima Amarshi, U of G student in her remarks.
After the press conference members of U of G Alumni for Palestine walked up to the fourth floor of the university centre to deliver a letter expressing their support for the People’s Plaza for Palestine. About 20 people trailed behind them.
The members wanted to hand the letter directly to senior administration at the university. There wasn’t anyone from the administration who was available to speak to students and receive the letter. Dave Pringle, manager of campus safety told them he could give the letter since no one was available. The alumni gave him the letter.
