Anti-Israel protesters set up encampment on University of Windsor campus
The University of Windsor is the latest Canadian learning institution to have anti-Israel protesters set up on its campus.
On Thursday afternoon, a student coalition organized a demonstration outside Dillon Hall at the university. They urged the university to enact a boycott and divest funds from Israel. Approximately 12 individuals were present, with campus police monitoring from a distance.
TORONTO: Class of young children make a stop by the University of Toronto's (@UofT) anti-Israel student encampments and are encouraged by instructors to raise their fists and chant "Free Palestine".https://t.co/iAWKHLz6Mr pic.twitter.com/BIo57lYufy
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) May 2, 2024
"Business cannot continue as usual," said Jana Jandal Alrifai to the CBC. "We stand here in solidarity [with] students across the world calling for the same thing: our money and our education cannot and should not fund the death of Palestinians."
Additionally, she said that they are calling for the university to "disclose, defend, divest, demand and support."
"What that really means is that we need transparency in financial leanings of the University of Windsor. We need them to take all of their money out ... that they invest in all of these funds ... and then to also provide support for students," Jandal Alrifai continued. "We need their unequivocal statement, the condemning the genocide of the Palestinians, condemning Israeli occupation. And then we need their support."
Tensions have escalated as anti-Israel supporters and their radical Left allies have taken over the McGill campus by setting up an encampment.
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) May 7, 2024
FULL REPORT by @ThevoiceAlexa: https://t.co/XVOboe4WGP pic.twitter.com/FSVSIOyIzf
Campus protests started in the United States and have since spread to both Canada and Mexico, with encampments being set up at universities in half of Canada’s provinces.
According to a Leger survey conducted last week, just 31% of people said they support the encampments while 48% said they opposed them.
About one in five responded that they did not know.
Protests have been condemned by the premiers of both Ontario and Quebec, with encampments still ongoing at McGill University in Montreal and the University of Toronto. An encampment at the University of Calgary was forcibly removed by police last night after protesters were given several warnings to clear the area.
VIOLENT CLASH: Crazy face off between local police and University of Calgary encampment. Whole campus cleared of demonstrators, multiple arrests.https://t.co/naFpRrQlEq pic.twitter.com/3HOsRJsmNT
— Syd Fizzard 🍁 (@SydFizzard) May 10, 2024
Ontario Premier Doug Ford last week called the campsites "unacceptable."
"We need to remove those people ... these universities have to make a move," Ford said.
