Not only are McGill campers not planning on packing up, they are now organizing a “revolutionary” education program to occupy their summer, an announcement that worries the University’s president.
The group Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) wants to make the McGill University campus “a place of revolutionary education” by organizing a summer program for young people. The organization made the announcement in an Instagram post accompanied by an image of people wearing keffiyehs and holding automatic weapons. “We are committed to educating the youth of Montreal,” we can read.
The image sparked a reaction from the rector of McGill University, Deep Saini, who described it as “extremely alarming” in a press release. “Images that evoke violence are not tools for peaceful expression and assembly,” he added.
McGill University has “contacted municipal, provincial and federal security authorities” to report the publication as a “national security issue,” the rector added by email, adding that the presence of security agents will increase around from the camp and everywhere on campus.
The Minister of Higher Education, Pascale Déry, denounced the image shared by the SPHR in a message on to violence, or even indoctrination. I repeat: this encampment must be dismantled,” commented the minister.
A question of “freedom of expression”
The program is a “peaceful and legitimate” initiative open to Montrealers of all ages, however, affirmed Zeyad Abisaab, general coordinator of the SPHR group at Concordia University. “Instead of spending time talking about an image, the administration should stop being complicit in genocide. », added the young man, sitting at a picnic table near the McGill camp on Friday afternoon.
Dead calm reigned around the encampment, where handfuls of demonstrators chatted quietly under the gaze of a few security guards.
The educational program will be held from June 17 to July 12 on the university campus, explained Zeyad Abisaab. On the menu: conferences, workshops on Palestinian history and artistic activities. Classes given by professors from McGill University and Concordia University are also planned, according to the coordinator.
“We are here in Quebec, where freedom of expression and education are considered rights,” said Zeyad Abisaab, according to whom the program does not deserve to cause concern. “There has been an educational space and activities here since the beginning of the camp,” said the young man.