Canadian universities have seen a surge of pro-Palestinian protests this spring, following similar demonstrations across North America. Students have built encampments on campuses to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has worsened since an Israeli military offensive in the wake of a Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7. The demonstrators are calling on their universities to divest from companies with ties to Israel.
The protests have been met with varying responses from university administrators who are attempting to strike a balance between freedom of expression and ensuring the safety of their campus communities. At the same time, many Jewish students and faculty have expressed that they feel intimidated on campus.
Scroll through the timelines below for up-to-date information on the protests and how universities have responded at several campuses across the country.
Thanks for sharing this snapshot of the pro-Palestinian protest across some university campuses. The videos are quite insightful. it would be interesting to see if there have been any notable protests on these same campuses (or others) in support of Israel. I question the “almost” deafening silence regarding the attack on Israel. I abhor the violence that has led to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza at this time and I believe that there should be as great an outcry about what precipitated this situation, as well as what continues to happen to the people across both territories. I also contend that “freedom” for one group cannot be at the expense of all other groups.