University of Guelph protestors demand divestment from companies supporting war in Gaza
Standing in solidarity – that’s the message coming out of an encampment at the University of Guelph.
Students and community members have set up tents and signs as part of a protest against the war in Gaza.
Waida Mirzada, a student member of the “U of G for Palestine” group, said they’ve been waiting since January for information on the school’s endowment portfolio.
“[We] demand divestment [from] the University of Guelph,” she added.
The school said, in a statement released Tuesday: “Prior to the unauthorized encampment, U of G had received a divestment submission under its Special Action Policy and it is being reviewed in accordance with university processes and procedures. The individuals who submitted their request to the university were invited to provide additional input and speak about their submission directly to the Finance Committee.”
Encampments have popped up on campuses throughout Canada, including at the University of Toronto and the University of Waterloo.
Protestors are calling on institutions to cut ties with companies who are supporting Israel’s war efforts.
“A message of unity among other campuses but, most importantly, it’s about Gaza. It’s about Palestine and it’s about the people being killed,” explained Firoza Farooqi, another student member of the “U of G for Palestine” group.
Not everyone on campus, however, is comfortable with the presence of protestors.
Jake Levy, the president of Guelph Hillel, said Jewish students are feeling uneasy about the protest, some even going as far as hiding their identity.
“Many students who would normally wear a kippah, won’t wear a kippah, or would wear the Star of David, who won’t. There are people who feel they can’t express their Jewish identity on campus unless they’re in a group.”
While the Jewish student organization supports peaceful protests, Levy said not everyone is happy with the way they’ve been carried out.
“The way that these encampments have gone on around the world is not something that the Jewish community supports overall,” he said.
In Tuesday’s statement, the university added: “U of G has a steadfast commitment to the principle of freedom of speech and a responsibility to create and maintain spaces for open dialogue and the free exchange of ideas and diverging opinions. We also have an obligation to foster an environment where everyone can study, work and live without discrimination.”
The protestors who spoke with CTV News say they’ll remain at the encampment until the university meets with them and addresses their demands.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6928674.1718497400!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Shooting at Michigan splash pad leaves 'nine, maybe 10 victims': authorities
Gunfire erupted at a splash pad in the Detroit suburb of Rochester Hills, leaving as many as 10 people wounded, authorities said.
A new tax filing system could give Canadians more than $1 billion in unclaimed benefits: PBO
Canadians would get more than $1 billion in unclaimed benefits each year through an automatic tax filing system, according to a report published by the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO).
Video shows northern Ont. storm hammer shoreline, breaking dock
The owner of a northern Ont. camp is continuing to clean up after an intense storm that prompted a tornado warning Thursday ripped through the area breaking his dock and downing trees.
FOLLOW LIVE Oilers-Panthers Game 4: Oilers lead 4-1 in the second period
Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers is set to begin at Rogers Place.
'All hands on deck situation': City of Calgary declares state of local emergency over water main break
The City of Calgary declared a local state of emergency Saturday morning in response to the latest developments in a major water main break that is impacting the city.
U.K. royals unite on palace balcony as Princess of Wales returns to public view after cancer diagnosis
London put on a display of birthday pageantry Saturday for King Charles III, a military parade that marked the Princess of Wales ' first public appearance since her cancer diagnosis early this year.
Trudeau calls into question findings of stunning watchdog foreign interference report
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he has concerns with how conclusions were gathered in a spy watchdog report.
Abducted child found dead and sister injured in suspected human trafficking case, authorities say
36-year-old Daniel Callihan was arrested Thursday after a 35-year-old mother was found dead and her two abducted daughters were later discovered in Mississippi – one dead and the other alive – in what investigators say may be a human trafficking case.
Man who stabbed Mexican tourist in Vancouver Tim Hortons 2 years ago released from prison, police warn
Vancouver police are warning the public that the man who stabbed a stranger in a downtown coffee shop in January 2022 has been released and will be living in the city again.