Students at the University of Calgary erected tents, barricades and signs in a pro-Palestinian protest, with demands they want the post-secondary school to meet.

Students created an encampment in the TFDL quad on May 9, seeking change by the university. In support of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, started in Palestine, students are demanding seven conditions be met by the university.

The group’s media release said they want the University of Calgary to divest of any investments it has in Israel.

The full list of demands are as follows:

• That the university fully disclose all of its direct and indirect investments, as well the sources of donations made to the university.
• That the university fully disclose its decision-making process for choosing investments.
• Complete and continued divestment corporations that develop military technology in order to profit from wars globally, all corporations that play a role in suppressing Indigenous peoples globally, and all corporations that have links to regimes under investigation by the International Criminal Court.
• A full academic boycott of institutions complicit in the occupation of Palestine and oppression of Palestinians.
• The provision of academic and mental health support for Palestinian students.
• That the university adopts an Anti-Palestinian Racism Definition on campus with a zero-tolerance policy.

This protest is one of many happening in Canada and The United States, with tensions rising after Israel started a military offensive into the city of Rafah. The ongoing war between Hamas and Israel has resulted in a Palestinian death toll of over 30,000. Bombings have destroyed major infrastructure, hospitals, homes and universities in the region.  

“They are killing students just like us. This must come to an end,” said Ryn LaRoux, a protestor and media representative for the students.

Stories of escalation and violence have come from other university campuses as emotions run high from the war. The Calgary Student Movement only seeks to support the Palestinian people peacefully, without the condemnation of others.

“We want to ensure the safety of all people in Calgary,” said student protester Julia Lee when asked about relations with Calgary’s Jewish community.

The Calgary Police Department had informed protesters that they were trespassing on university property. No action has been taken as of the morning of May 9 but this conviction does mean the encampment can be legally removed.

“We have not been moved, we have not been arrested. We will only take down our encampment once our demands are met,” said LaRoux.

Protesters have reached out to the university, and have not yet received a reply. No action has been taken by the Calgary Police or the university at this time.

The University of Calgary did post a statement about the encampment on Thursday afternoon.

“We are aware that a small number of tents have been set up on campus. We are engaging with the individuals involved however, temporary structures and overnight protests are not permitted. Members of the campus community are free to protest but they are not free to camp,” the statement read.