UWindsor president hopes to meet with pro-Palestinian protesters as 'apartheid wall' set up
The university says senior administration has invited the protesters to meet
University president Robert Gordon has invited pro-Palestinian protesters to meet with him, a spokesperson told CBC News on Friday, as a group attempted to disrupt a meeting of the University of Windsor senate.
The protesters were from a pro-Palestinian encampment that has been set up on campus since May 10, a day after a protest first started on campus.
Jana Alrifai, one of the organizers, said they set up am "apartheid wall" to show those entering or leaving the meeting what it's like to have to cross a checkpoint.
"Every time someone enters the senate meeting, they understand what it is to be at a checkpoint. They understand what it means to have to stand there — you need a place to go, you have a place to go, you need to be somewhere but you can't," Alrifai told CBC News.
"There should not be business as usual while people are dying."
In a statement to CBC News, the university the senate meeting proceeded as planned.
A spokesperson said the president hopes to have a meeting with student representatives from the encampment, involving the vice-president of people, equity, and inclusion, the vice-president of finance and operations and the director of campus safety.
"The University of Windsor continues to invite student representatives of the encampment to discussions with the appropriate leaders on campus to address their concerns," the university said in a statement.
"Additionally, we have initiated discussions with the University of Windsor Students' Alliance (UWSA), which represents more than 10,000 undergraduate students on campus, about its similar requests that were formally submitted through the appropriate channels.
"Our top priorities continue to be our educational mission and the safety and well-being of all students and campus members. We appreciate the cooperation of all parties involved in ensuring the Senate meeting could proceed."
The group of pro-Palestinian protesters has six demands it wants the university to meet: disclose investments that benefit Israel, divest of those investments, declare a stance in the war, defend and support students and boycott academic institutions with ties to Israel.
Pro-Palestinian protest camps and similar demonstrations have developed across North America in recent weeks, as students demand that universities stop doing business with Israel or companies with Israeli ties.
The university's senate is responsible for oversight of academic matters.
Protesters had previously met with administration, but said they were disappointed with the outcome. The university says two associate vice-presidents and the university secretary attended that meeting.