U of R students join divestment call with peaceful pro-Palestine campus sit-in (2024)

Though spurts of rain darkened the afternoon, those gathered for an on-campus sit-in at the University of Regina (U of R) on Friday stayed firm in their call for the end of any ties the school may have with Israel in the midst of ongoing violence in the Gaza Strip.

Speaking for organizing group Students for Justice for Palestine (SJP), Anzal Omar said the event was a one-day demonstration aiming to connect to and join the national movement happening at universities across Canada, “but in a calmer way.”

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“We want to add our voice, and let them know that we’re also here and even though we might be small in numbers, we still want to speak out,” Omar said.

Students across North America have united in a demand for academic institutions to divest from any investments or stakes that support Israel’s actions against Palestinians.

Encampments have been set up at 15 Canadian universities since mid-April, and organizers have pledged to stay until the call is answered. Some have been forcibly removed, like by Edmonton police at the University of Alberta last week, while others have sought legal injunctions, pursued arrests and threatened academic consequences for students taking part.

Friday’s message for the U of R was peaceful and three-fold, said Omar: to divest any stakes the university may have linking it to Israel, to stop plans to bring a Starbucks onto campus next year and openly join the call for a ceasefire.

SJP has said the coffee giant is “not welcome,” standing with a social media-driven boycott against the company for perceived complicity in Israel’s offensive action. U of R’s Faculty 4 Palestine group has also voiced opposition.

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“We want the University of Regina to stand up and say this is genocide, to speak out,” Omar said. “What we want are words and actions, instead of silence and emails written to just us.”

The sit-in is one of several actions SJP has organized on campus since October, including solidarity walks and a rally. Students also gathered at a sister event at the University of Saskatchewan Friday, organized by its SJP chapter.

Those around Friday on the Dr. Lloyd Barber Academic Green, about 70 people at the crowd’s peak, spread out on blankets in the grass and held Palestinian flags. They said the intention was to communicate that they want more of a response from the university.

“The university won’t say something because they don’t want to be quote-unquote political, but they’re not realizing that silence is also political,” said Alicia, a student who did not feel comfortable sharing their last name.

“Silence is a response that says enough,” said fellow student Sonia Stanger, a kaffiyeh wrapped around their shoulders.

Clara Durr said that for her, taking part in Friday’s action feels like “a human responsibility” to take a stance.

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“Even in little Regina, it matters,” she said. “There’s no corner that can avoid these types of issues and making those in authority and positions of power accountable to that, it matters.”

Friday’s participants also voiced a collective upset at seeing an Israel flag raised outside of Regina City Hall on Monday and Tuesday, as Israeli forces continued to bombard the city of Rafah in southern Gaza.

A City of Regina spokesperson said the flag was raised by request in recognition of Israel’s national Independence Day, and was in accordance with the city’s flag policy.

Israel’s independence day is the anniversary of military forces declaring a State of Israel in Palestine, after which an estimated 700,000 Palestinian people either fled or were expelled over the next year.

“The Palestinian Day of Independence is on November 15. We would honour a request to raise the Palestinian flag that day if received,” said a statement provided to the Leader-Post.

According to the policy, flags of organizations that may be considered “controversial, contentious or divisive within the community shall not be flown.”

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“We never like to see people upset but at the end of the day, we have folks of all races and religions who call Regina home and we do celebrate multiculturalism,” said Mayor Sandra Masters when asked about the flag Wednesday.

The sit-in was scheduled to wrap up at 5 p.m. on Friday.

lkurz@postmedia.com

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