Counter-protesters call on University of Toronto to dismantle pro-Palestinian camp

Protesters at an anti-hate rally are calling on the University of Toronto to take action and dismantle the pro-Palestinian encampment on King’s College Circle, saying it is making Jewish students and faculty feel unsafe.

Organized by several student-affiliated groups, including the U of T Jewish Medical Students Association and Hillel Ontario, more than 100 protesters demonstrated on the U of T campus, two blocks from the camp.

“That is why we are here today, to advocate for a safe, peaceful and inclusive campus for everyone,” said Kayla Saul, a medical student at the university.

“We have been in the camp and have personally seen posters with messages like glory to all the martyrs and leave Palestine in peace and return to Europe, and these promote violence and anti-Semitism.”

Earlier in the day, a group of students from schools in Ontario, Quebec and Alberta appeared in Parliament to say they are forced to hide their Jewish identity while facing a wave of anti-Semitism, from which school administrators are failing to protect them.

Justin Chow is a University of Toronto graduate who became an outspoken ally following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.

“From that moment on I knew I had a mission, that I needed to do something, I needed to go out to… show them that they have allies.”

But protesters say they don’t feel that alliance from the university, and after seven days of a growing encampment, the school needs to take action.

“The university has a responsibility to ensure that Jewish students are safe, to ensure that they can study, work and live on campus, free from harassment, free from intimidation, and they have policies and procedures and it’s time for them to start following them. them,” said Jay Solomon, one of the Hillel Ontario rally organizers.

In a statement issued Wednesday morning, the university said it continues to correspond with student representatives at the camp and is currently focused on its “responsibility for the health and safety of our students.”

Members of the pro-Palestinian camp say they plan to remain on campus until the university ditches the Israeli government. They say their demonstration is multiracial and multi-religious and that any concerning incidents have occurred outside the camp as a result of the counter-protests.