(Montréal) Le conflit au Proche-Orient continue d’alimenter les tensions au Canada. Une enquête interne a été ouverte à l’Université de Montréal (UdeM) concernant le chargé de cours filmé en train de lancer des insultes, lors de l’échauffourée entre partisans pro-Israël et pro-Palestine mercredi à l’Université Concordia. À Ottawa, un hôpital a été la cible d’un incident antisémite. Et les manifestations en soutien à la Palestine se poursuivent au pays.
Le chargé de cours de l’Université de Montréal Yanise Arab a été suspendu avec solde pour la durée de l’enquête à son sujet, a confirmé vendredi la porte-parole de l’Université, Geneviève O’Meara.
L’enseignant a été filmé mercredi sur le campus de l’Université Concordia lors d’une échauffourée opposant des étudiants pro-Palestine et pro-Israël, dans la foulée du conflit au Proche-Orient.
PHOTO TIRÉE DE LINKEDIN
Le chargé de cours suspendu, Yanise Arab
Dans une brève vidéo qui a circulé en ligne depuis mercredi, on peut voir un homme vêtu d’un chandail à capuchon jaune, identifié plus tard comme étant M. Arab, criant : « Retourne en Pologne ! » et une autre insulte. Trois personnes ont été blessées et une femme a été arrêtée lors de l’échauffourée.
« La semaine prochaine, M. Arab sera rencontré par la direction de l’Université [et d’autres instances]for the continuation of the investigation”, indicated Mr.me O’Meara. “Also since yesterday, with the context of the last few days and in a preventive manner, security measures have been increased on campus,” she adds. It’s important that our community feels safe on campus. »
Middle East expert
Mr. Arab’s biography was removed from the University of Montreal website at his request, according to Mr.me O’Meara. A previous version presented Mr. Arab as a doctoral student and lecturer in the history department.
He teaches a course on domination and resistance in the Arab world. He was presented as an expert on the Middle East, author of three publications on Palestine.
Thursday, “seeing everything that was happening on social networks, what was circulating on the web”, the UdeM preferred to cancel Mr. Arab’s course scheduled for the middle of the day. The students were notified during the morning, explains Mme O’Meara. They should receive more guidance next week on what to do next.
Furthermore, a demonstration in favor of Palestine took place Thursday at UdeM. “Everything went well with respect, calm and order,” assures M.me O’Meara.
Politicians appealed for calm Thursday after a series of hate incidents occurred in Montreal – including shootings at two Jewish schools – in addition to the scuffle at Concordia University.
Anti-Semitic incident in Ottawa
The Ottawa Hospital General Campus was also the scene of a hate incident on the night of Thursday to Friday. Gasoline and anti-Semitic messages were found in one of the clinical areas.
Condemning “this deplorable act”, the health establishment declared that “hate, discrimination, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia” had “absolutely no place there”, wrote a spokesperson, Michaela Schreiter .
Appointments had to be rescheduled while the affected areas were cleaned. The matter was brought to the attention of Ottawa police, who opened an investigation, the spokesperson noted.
Demonstrations in support of Palestine
New demonstrations and events in support of the Palestinians also took place on Friday in Montreal.
Activists notably blocked the entrance to the arms manufacturer L3Harris, located on Chemin de la Côte-de-Liesse, in Saint-Laurent. The company’s branches in Hamilton, Toronto and Ottawa, Ontario, were blocked simultaneously.
“ [Cette entreprise] is the largest military company in the world. It regularly manufactures weapons that are used by Israel in war crimes against Palestinian civilians,” the Labor 4 Palestine group denounced on Facebook.
With The Canadian Press
Students reportedly found in Jewish school targeted by gunfire
The Montreal City Police Service (SPVM) is working to corroborate information that boarding students were sleeping inside one of the Jewish educational establishments targeted by gunfire this week in Montreal. Without being able to confirm the information on Friday evening, the SPVM indicated that “the building which possibly houses young people during the night [dans cette école] is located in a geographical and physical position completely removed from the front of the school establishment. The investigation is still ongoing in this matter, assures Julien Lévesque, media relations officer for the SPVM. He reminds that any person who is a victim or witness of a hate crime or incident can report it to 911, to the Info-Crime line at 514-393-1133 or on the SPVM website.
Lila Dussault, The Press