In keeping with universities across North America, students at the University of Calgary had set up a pro-Palestine encampment as a form of peaceful protest in order to have their academic institution take measures in opposition to the genocide in Gaza.
The anti-war student protest was peaceful, diverse and inclusive, receiving the blessing of First Nation Canadians from the Blackfoot Confederacy, from whom the land where the university is situated was stolen.
These students were even supported by protesters who came to stand with them, supporting their clearly stated demands.
We demand that the university fully discloses all of its direct and indirect investments, as well as the sources of donations to the university.
We also demand that the university fully discloses its decision-making process for choosing investments, in addition to complete and continued divestment of corporations that develop military technology in order to profit from wars globally.
Calgary University Student
One of the demands outlined by the students included calls for the university to end its double standards in its treatment of students based upon identity.
We have not received the same support as other students, such as Ukrainian students, when it comes to mental health or provisions towards our needs, and our safety on campus.
Palestinian Student
The university was not willing to even hear the students out and almost immediately called the Calgary police who showed up in riot gear, heavily armed, and launched an unnecessary attack upon the encampment.
On the first day of the pro-Palestine encampment in Calgary, peaceful protesters were attacked with rubber bullets, tear gas and batons by the police in what the mainstream media called ‘clashes’.
Yet despite the lies in the mainstream media, and the disbandment of their encampment, the students vowed to return and to continue their efforts to have their university divest from Israel.