Pro-Palestinian encampment at VIU still stands after three weeks in
A recent VIU update signed by the university’s president Deborah Saucier noted the challenges the encampment has caused for the VIU community. Photo: Lauryn Mackenzie / CHLY 101.7fm
Three weeks after its start, the VIU Palestine Solidarity Encampment still stands at the Vancouver Island University (VIU) Nanaimo campus.
The encampment which started on May 1 is meant to demonstrate student solidarity with the Palestinian people and to demand action from the university in regards to the conflict.
The demands call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Palestine and call on the university to make a statement against what the demonstrators describe as genocide. As well they call for the closure of the campus Starbucks and for the university to disclose all investment information.
Currently, South Africa alleges that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip in the International Court of Justice.
The Students for Palestine Committee also states that VIU must create a safety action plan for student protestors and Palestinian students, and commit to not implement any disciplinary action against those protesting.
They also called for an investigation into a bag search incident that occurred on March 7 of this year. The incident involved a VIU Muslim Women’s Club member having their bag searched by a VIU staff member without their consent. The incident later led to a sit-in outside the university’s President and Vice-Chancellor Deborah Saucier’s office on March 21.
Following the start of the encampment, on May 2, those staying at the encampment were given a notice by the university stating that students may face suspension, expulsion, or be prohibited from graduation and convocation celebrations if the encampment stays.
CHLY obtained the letter which notifies those at the encampment that overnight camping and erecting tents, shelters, or barriers without permission from the university is not permitted. It also states that VIU has the right to request a peace officer to pursue all enforcement measures authorized by British Columbia’s Trespass Act, which could include arrests or removal of personal property from VIU premises. The letter was signed by Mark Egan, Manager of Security Facilities Services.
On May 4, VIU posted on social media an update about the demonstration, noting that the encampment remained peaceful and calm, but against university policy and the law. The update also noted new restrictions being implanted on campus with the library now only accessible with a student or employee access card. The hours of the library, normally accessible 24/7 were changed to 9 a.m. to midnight. These changes came two days before the summer semester started on May 6.
VIU later posted on social media saying they changed the building access hours on May 8 to what they say are regular summer hours. The hours changed to open access from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with card access from 4 p.m. to midnight and closed from midnight to 9.m. on weekdays and on weekends only accessible by card from 9 a.m. to midnight.
On May 7, 105 VIU staff and faculty members signed an open letter stating they were alarmed by the “extreme measures threatened by VIU’s administration in response to the peaceful student protest encampment on the Nanaimo campus.” The letter has continued to grow in size as additional VIU staff and faculty members added their names to the letter after it was sent.
The open letter states that VIU cannot claim they support the right to peaceful protest while stating that students may face disciplinary action in their May 2 notice. Both VIU faculty members and staff that signed on to the open letter and The VIU Palestine Solidarity Encampment have called on VIU to retract the notice issued to the encampment.
A recent VIU update signed by the university’s president Deborah Saucier noted the challenges the encampment has caused for the VIU community. The update posted on May 17 states that “The last few weeks have been some of our campus community’s most challenging in recent memory.” Saucier writes in the update that although VIU supports peaceful demonstrations on its campuses and the freedom of expression, she is troubled “by the increasing number of concerns, harassment, and other complaints to VIU and WorkSafeBC.”
She states that VIU has a responsibility to ensure the safety of their university community members but it has become an increasing challenge. She said that in the past few days, she has “seen several behaviours that are not in compliance with University Policy, our Student Code of Conduct and rules to protect safety.”
Saucier lists several examples of this being; refusals to exit buildings and spaces at closing time; placing wooden pallets further fortifying the encampment; graffiti and signage with deeply troubling messages; mistreatment of security guards; harassment of staff resulting in WorkSafeBC investigations; and using an extension ladder to gain unlawful access to the roof of building 300 after hours.
This update comes after the university stated in an earlier update on May 10 that the university had received several complaints from VIU community members regarding the content expressed in signage and chalk on the campus. They state “Out of care and concern for our impacted employees and our legislated WorkSafeBC obligations to provide a safe work environment, VIU has temporarily closed Starbucks until further notice.” As of Monday, May 27, the Starbucks is still closed.
In response to the president's letter from May 17, the VIU Palestine Solidarity Encampment responded on social media in a two-part post. They state that the president’s letter misleads students and creates “a false narrative that protestors have been perpetuating discrimination, harassment and hate speech.” They allege that VIU staff are harassing and intimidating members of the encampment in those posts. The post also included an example of their chalk messages directed towards the campus Starbucks which read “Starbucks supports genocide. For a six dollar coffee you too can kill a child.”
On May 21, the VIU Students’ Union (VIUSU) published a blog post on their website describing actions taken by VIU administration as a lockdown, and outlined the steps they have taken to “address the resulting issues and implications, seeking to hold the university accountable and ensure that such measures do not reoccur.”
On May 3, the VIUSU sought legal counsel in light of the measures done by VIU towards those protesting including changing the library access hours which has since been lifted. They state their primary concern of the measures is the impact on the students’ rights to peaceful protest and freedom of expression.
On May 16, VIUSU’s legal counsel sent a letter to VIU President Deborah Saucier, Minister of Post-Secondary and Future Skills Lisa Beare, and the student body which outlined the concerns regarding the measures taken by the administration, and the implications for students’ rights on campus.
As of May 27, it is unclear whether or not VIU has responded to the letter sent from VIUSU’s legal counsel from May 16.
On May 22 the encampment hosted a literary festival where local authors and students hosted readings in solidarity with the student protestors.
As of May 24, no further statements have been issued from VIU, VIUSU, or the VIU Palestine Solidarity Encampment regarding the encampment.
Funding Note: This story was produced with funding support from the Local Journalism Initiative, administered by the Community Radio Fund of Canada.