Once again, U of T fails to keep its students safe

 

Why is the University of Toronto protecting far-right, Islamophobic extremists?

On September 6, far-right agitators confronted pro-Palestine student protesters at King’s College Circle. Among these agitators was Meir Weinstein, the former leader of the Jewish Defense League (JDL) — whose American branch was designated as a terrorist group by the FBI. Members of the JDL have been convicted of multiple bombings and an attempt to hijack a plane.

At the same confrontation, the far-right protesters openly displayed violent and dehumanizing slogans such as “Make Gaza a parking lot.” They also hurled racist and Islamophobic slurs, and yelled “Get out of Canada. This is our country.” Ron Banerjee, a notorious Islamophobe, led the chants. Furthermore, these extremist agitators unfurled flags of Kahane Chai, a Jewish entity that advocates for expelling Arabs from Israel, and is a far-right terrorist group as designated by Canada. 

Other vigilantes from JForce, a private security firm and self-described “defenders of Israel,” roamed the campus in groups dressed in black uniforms and tactical vests. Meanwhile, Magen Herut — an extremist group based in Canada — was also spotted on campus, creating an intimidating atmosphere for Muslim students.

As the President of the Muslim Students’ Association (MSA), it is clear to me that the U of T administration has failed to protect its Muslim and Arab students, along with their peers and allies. To me, this failure demonstrates an indifference to these students’ safety and reveals institutional biases.  (more...)

Once again, U of T fails to keep its students safe