A student group in the University of Toronto campus encampment has stated that they would not abandon their protest until the university commits to meeting their demands even as an extended deadline to evacuate approaches fast.
The encampment was created in early May as a means of pressuring the university to reveal their ties to Israel and divest from companies that profit from its offensive in Gaza. The group currently includes dozens of tents on U of T’s downtown campus.
Recently, the university administration issued a trespass notice to the encampment participants, pledging to take “all necessary legal steps” if protesters did not leave by Monday morning, claiming the action was “contrary to the university’s commitment to fostering a welcoming and safe community.”
The University later issued a written statement denying its connection to the Israeli military action in any way, including investing in weapons manufacturing companies.
In a follow-up statement, the university stated that they “look forward to meeting later today with students representing those in the encampment.”
A spokesperson of the university said: “If the encampment remains non-compliant with the trespass notice, we will be proceeding to court to seek injunctive relief through an urgent hearing.”
Mohammad Yassin, a protester, said that the group has no plans to leave until the two sides reach a commitment on divesting funds.
While talking to reporters, he said: “We are planning to stay here until we get a commitment to our demands. The process itself, the pulling of funds from companies that support these Israeli government, may take time, but the time for the university to do so is immediate.”
The encampment is one of many erected at Canadian university campuses, including the ones in Vancouver and Montreal, since early May.
While talking to reporters, Erin Matthew, a fourth-year undergraduate student, stated that the protest has gone beyond students as faculty and staff members have also joined and shown their support.
He said“Students, faculty and staff members of the U of T community have been sleeping in tents, cancelling their summer plans and showing up every single day for the past 24 days. It is because the past 233 days Israel has and continues to enact an ongoing and active genocide against the people of Palestine.”