Protestors demand ability from Queen’s University and City leaders, arguing that complicity in violence is a moral crisis that can’t be ignored.
Approximately 80 people showed their in the “All out for Gaza & All eyes on Lebanon” rally held outside of Kingston City Hall at 2 p.m. on Sept. 21. Organized by Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR), participants marched around the building for around an hour, demanding for Queen’s University and the City of Kingston to “immediately divest all economic and academic stakes in Israeli Apartheid.”
Along with divestment demands, protestors called for a ceasefire and emphasized the need for greater awareness of ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
“Today we’re here to express our grief and our rage for the crimes committed in Gaza and the West Bank and Lebanon,” a spokesperson said during the protest.
Recent reports indicate on Sept. 17 11 people were killed and thousands injured in Lebanon and Syria when pagers held by of Hezbollah, deemed a terrorist group by the Government of Canada, exploded almost simultaneously in their hands, bags, and pockets. Hezbollah and Lebanese officials blamed Israel for what they claimed was a well-orchestrated attack. The Israeli military didn’t respond to media inquiries about the incident, reported The New York Times.
READ MORE: Pro-Palestine protestors set up encampment on Queen’s University campus
“As long as a two-way arms embargo isn’t formally enacted and followed, we don’t trust our leaders. As long as they ignore injustice in Lebanon and place no sanctions on Israel, we don’t trust our leaders. […] We stand here today to remind our leaders and ourselves that we will not stop until Palestine, Turtle Island, and Lebanon are free,” the spokesperson said on Saturday.
The protest was characterized by a notable police presence and heightened opposition from some community ing by. One individual shouted, “Shut the f—k up” at the protesters, while a enger on a Kingston tourism trolley remarked, “This isn’t resistance.”
One protestor believes individuals have an obligation out of humanity and comion to stand with people who are being unrightfully displaced from their land. “It’s so important to show up to these protests and I urge everyone who maybe hasn’t or has stopped coming to please show up for Palestine, don’t get desensitized to what’s going on,” the protestor said in an interview with The Journal.
Attendee and President of PSAC 901 Jake Morrow stated the University’s “allowing this genocide to take place” in the Middle East in an interview with The Journal. He stated that students’ tuition contributes to funds that ultimately this violence and are involved in the manufacturing of weapons.
Tuition itself isn’t directly invested, rather, the University invests its Endowment fund, which consists of donations and other financial gifts. The University manages these investments in accordance with its Responsible Investing Policy, which aims to consider environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in decision-making.
“That’s not an exaggeration, and it’s not hyperbole. The money we pay to Queen’s University is being used to kill our colleagues’ families, and that’s horrific. As the Union president, I see this as a serious labour issue. Our are workers at the University who are forced to pay money that is then used to kill their families. That’s the reality,” Morrow said.
When asked about the Review Committee for Responsible Investing, which was established on June 3 to evaluate a request from Queen’s University Apartheid Divest, Morrow criticized some committee as “deeply problematic.” He said these individuals had previously agitated protesters at the encampment earlier this summer.
While Morrow wouldn’t disclose who specifically on the committee he found troubling, he emphasized the moral responsibility of Queen’s students, saying that individuals must take a stand.
“We have a moral obligation not to have [this genocide] carried out in our name. As Queen’s students, we have a moral obligation to do the same. To say not in out name, not with our dollars,” Morrow said.
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