Occupy UW agrees to end encampment, University of Waterloo to withdraw injunction

The pro-Palestinian encampment that's been on the University of Waterloo's campus for nearly two months is expected to be gone by Sunday evening.

The university released a statement Saturday saying Occupy UW will be decamping by 8 p.m. on July 7 and not returning in any form at the school.

"This is not by any means the end of the encampment and not the end of Palestinian advocacy," said Nick Joseph of Occupy UW. "We're going to keep moving forward with all the tactics we have at our disposal until they divest in genocide.

"People are optimistic. We're very happy to be moving into the next phase of our advocacy."

UW adds that they've agreed to withdraw its claim and injunction proceeding once the encampment has been vacated.

ENCAMPMENT TIMELINE

The encampment first set up on May 13 to protest the war in Gaza and “follow in the footsteps of the three other active encampments at Ontario universities demanding divestment from Israel’s genocide on Gaza.”

On May 22, UW issued a notice letter asking the encampment to leave and cited six policy infractions that had taken place.

On June 10, the university agreed to an annual report disclosing the school’s investments that wouldthen be presented in an open session.

At the time, Occupy UWaterloo said they were pleased to see the approval, but admitted more work neededto be done.

On June 18, Occupy UW disrupted a board of governors meeting. This was followed by a legal trespass notice a few days later.

UW filed an injunction on June 25, alleging encampment organizers have crossed a line.

According to the statement of claim, the university declared$1.5 million in damages for “trespass, damage to property, intimidation and ejectment.”