McGill University sounds the alarm after a group of students associated with the pro-Palestinian encampment published a message accompanied by a photo of armed individuals for the attention of students called to participate in a “program of ‘Revolutionary Summer for Youth’ on campus.
This is extremely alarming
said Deep Saini, rector of the university, in a press release. It has attracted international media attention and many members of our community have rightly expressed serious concerns – concerns that I share
.
Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) released the message Wednesday evening, indicating that the summer program is scheduled for next week.
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The post from Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights McGill’s Instagram page shows several armed fighters reading books. The photo is from 1970.
Photo: (sphrmcgill/Instagram)
The photo used was taken in 1970. It depicts Palestine Liberation Organization fighters reading copies of Quotes from Chairman Mao Tse-tung in Jordan. The fighters hold assault rifles.
It goes without saying that images evoking violence do not constitute a tool for peaceful expression or assembly.
This worrying escalation, he said, is emblematic of the growing tensions on campuses across North America, where we have seen numerous incidents that go far beyond what universities are able to handle on their own.
A historic photograph
Zeyad Abisaab, a Concordia University student who volunteers at the McGill camp and coordinates the chapter SPHR of Concordia, indicates that the message concerns ongoing activities at the camp, such as workshops, discussions and artistic programming.
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Zeyad Abisaab, coordinator of the Concordia chapter of Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights, says the photo his group posted is historic.
Photo: CBC
He explains that the image, which has been circulating for years in pro-Palestinian spaces online, is a historical photograph of a colonized people learning about the colonial struggles of others.
Rather than focusing on the picture, he said Mr. Saini should be more concerned about the school’s ties to the makers of weapons used to kill, injure and displace an estimated two million people in the Gaza Strip. This is what we really need to talk about
adds Mr. Abisaab.
The message caption reads: We are committed to educating Montreal’s youth and redefining the legacy of McGill’s elite institution by transforming its space into a groundbreaking place of education. The daily schedule will include physical activity, Arabic language teaching, cultural crafts, political discussions, and historical and revolutionary lessons.
Review your investments.
On Monday, McGill University management said it was proposing to review its investments in companies that make weapons and grant amnesty to student protesters as part of a new offer to members of the pro-Palestinian encampment.
The response was quick: several groups linked to the encampment issued a joint statement calling the offer “laughable.”
In his statement Friday, the president said McGill had contacted municipal, provincial and federal public safety authorities, noting that the group’s social media post and other recent activities were a matter of national security.
For Mr. Saini, it is only SPHR”,”text”:”the latest escalation of SPHR’s longstanding strategy of intimidation and fear”}}”>the latest escalation of the strategy of intimidation and fear put in place for a long time by SPHR
.
This is the same group that called the Hamas attack and hostage-taking on October 7 heroic, he said, accusing SPHR harassing members of the McGill community and using offensive anti-Semitic language and imagery.
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A pro-Palestinian encampment has been set up on the McGill University campus since the end of April.
Photo: The Canadian Press / Ryan Remiorz
Strengthening security and legal action
The president indicated that McGill would increase the presence of security personnel near the encampment and elsewhere on campus, while continuing legal actions aimed at prohibiting SPHR to use the McGill name on social media platforms and elsewhere.
He added that the school will also pursue internal disciplinary procedures.
The federal minister and B’nai Brith react
Henry Topas, regional director for Quebec for B’nai Brith Canada, which describes itself as the oldest independent Jewish human rights organization in the country, said participants in the encampment on the McGill campus exceeded the limits of a peaceful demonstration.
He asked the City to intervene, claiming that there had been a plethora of hateful images
on the campus. The Montreal MP and federal immigration minister, Marc Miller, deplored the message of SPHR.
Enough is enough, this is hate speech and incitement, pure and simple.
he wrote. De-escalation at McGill has clearly failed. This must stop!
Based on the text by Isaac Olson CBC
