B.C. universities take steps to remove pro-Palestinian protesters

Two Vancouver Island universities are taking steps to remove pro-Palestinian encampments from their campuses this week. 

The University of Victoria began removal proceedings on Saturday, giving protesters a deadline of 8 a.m. Monday morning.

On Monday, a support rally was held before the encampment began to quietly pack up.

Audrey Yap, a professor at UVic and a supporter of the student protest, said it was disappointing to see how the university has responded. She says the school could have worked with students to develop an actionable plan that both parties could agree to. 

"It's disappointing to see the university not want to keep talking to them," said Yap.

She said the safety of the protesters was key to their decision to leave.

The UVic encampment later released a statement of its own on Instagram.

"We just really don't want the threat of police action on lots of vulnerable people," it said.

"The possibility of being served a civil lawsuit or an injunction would have affected us not only with copious legal processes and fees but it would actively threaten the safety of some of our most vulnerable members.

"We also acknowledge that the tactic of the encampment has run its course in terms of effectively pressuring the University to accept our demands."

It comes a week after Vancouver Island University (VIU) issued a deadline for protesters to leave its Nanaimo campus by 8 a.m. Monday, July 15.

However, despite VIU taking legal action, the Nanaimo encampment remains.

Last week, the university sought injunctive relief to remove it and issued legal documents to students camped there, following similar action by the University of Toronto and the Ontario courts. 

"VIU must protect the safety and peace of all persons on campus. The continued presence of the encampment and encampment members participating in the above-prohibited conduct are now preventing this," read a statement issued by VIU on July 15. 

Six current and former students were named in a civil lawsuit, along with several unnamed persons.

On Wednesday, the university received court permission to serve legal documents by email, Instagram message, and by placing posters near the camp. 

The named students were served court documents through their Instagram accounts and lawyers. A notice of service was also posted next to the encampment.

Friday morning, the university sent an email to all current students in an effort to connect with other protesters.

It contained the court documents and encouraged any student currently involved in the protest to seek legal advice.

According to Sara Kishawi, one of the students at the encampment named in the lawsuit, the protesters have been asking for a dialogue with the university since October 2023 regarding the school's investments and the treatment of students on campus. 

She says the last meeting the students had with the school was June 16. Kishawi says the school put forward a "half-done" proposal to meet the protesters' demands and leave, which the group was not satisfied with. 

"What the university is, is they're uncomfortable with the presence on their campus. They'd rather do anything than have dialogue with their students," said Kishawi in an interview with CBC's On The Island on Monday morning. 

"VIU had been hopeful the encampment could be resolved through dialogue between the university and student participants. It has become evident that it is not realistic to continue to anticipate that the encampment can be resolved in this way," VIU said in a separate statement on July 11. 

Kishawi says since being named in the lawsuit, she and other students have faced backlash for their involvement in the encampment.

CBC has seen multiple social posts from community members and counter-protestors detailing her comments and appearances at protests and highlighting family members who have also participated.

"VIU has clearly made a decision without taking into account the well-being of their students," said Kishawi. 

The court hearing is set for the beginning of August in Vancouver.