October 26, 2023. McGill University, Tiohtiá:ke, unceded land of Kanien’keha Nation (Montreal). A collective of thousands – students, professors, TAs, allies – rallied yesterday on McGill’s campus, answering the national call from the National Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP) for a student-led walkout across Turtle Island.
At 1:30 pm, hundreds of students walked out of their classes and joined a rapidly forming rally at McGill’s central intersection. Chants and speeches in English, French and Arabic were led and delivered by student organizers, professors, members of the Mohawk Mothers and representatives from diverse allied groups.
At 2:40 pm, the mass of thousands marched to the James Administration building, joining a dozen students who had occupied its entrance, upholding the collective and McGill-specific demands of the nationally-coordinated action:
– Divestment from weapon’s manufacturers which arms the genocide being conducted in Gaza.
– An immediate end to Israel’s siege on Gaza and Canada’s complicity in funding the Israeli regime.
– The cessation of exchange programs with Israeli institutions and the cutting of ties with current and future Zionist donors.
In the past weeks, student organizers have been deliberately targeted and have been victims of doxxing, surveillance, and monitoring. The current mobilization is reaffirming that students have the right and the responsibility to speak up for Palestine with no doubt or fear. Self-expression is a fundamental right, and denying students the right to speak is implementing student democracy on a discriminatory basis.
Students for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) McGill called for the Walkout earlier this week, on Monday October 22nd in coordination with students groups for palestinian human rights at Concordia (SPHR Concordia), Université du Québec à Montréal (SDHPP-UQAM), Université de Montréal (SDHPP-UdeM), and at Dawson College.
Around 3:30 pm, students from UQAM and UdeM joined SPHR McGill in their sit-in endeavour.
For the background, consult a statement issued by SPHR McGill condemning the McGill administration’s latest anti-Palestinian repression, dated October 19:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19kSfMyxk40SwV5x2o03pgBEcz3ZW7jcv/view?usp=drivesdk
