Memorial students escalate protest for Palestine

 

University says some form of public disclosure on its investments is forthcoming.

Students at Memorial University (MUNL) have escalated their protest in support of Palestine by occupying the lobby of the school’s Arts & Administration building in St. John’s.

They are calling on Newfoundland and Labrador’s only university to divest from “arms manufacturers and entities complicit in Israeli human rights violations” of Palestinians. 

At present, flags festoon Memorial’s hallways, demanding the institution “disclose and divest,” while a red banner emblazoned with “Yazan’s Yard” — the name of the student encampment — hangs in front of the building’s main entrance. Hand-drawn Palestinian flags and posters declare, “Wanted: absent administration,” and “No genocide on our dime.” They offer colourful ambience to the pale wooden walls of the university’s main building. Palestinian music and protest songs play from a speaker in the centre of the space, and in a corner one student hops around keeping time with a traditional Newfoundland ugly stick.

On June 7, campus security attempted to evict students from the building, but they relented after students sought legal advice and then refused to leave.

The occupation began in late May as a tent protest on the university’s front lawn.

The MUN Students For Palestine encampment is now in its third week, as students and supporters demand Memorial join other Canadian institutions divesting from investments linked to Israel, and to arms manufacturers.  (more...)

Memorial students escalate protest for Palestine