The Kelowna pro-Palestinian movement has officially erected an encampment on the UBC Okanagan Campus and the youth occupying the space say they are prepared to stay as long as it takes to have their demands met.
The students and community members that are part of the group called are joining groups from across B.C., Canada and the U.S. in a stand of solidarity with Palestine.
Those at the UBCO encampment have requested to maintain anonymity for fear of repercussions from the public and law enforcement.
READ MORE: Pro-Palestine encampment sets up on UBC Okanagan campus
Approximately 15 people were inside the encampment on May 13, at noon, after setting up in the courtyard at 5 a.m.
A representative from the People害羞草研究所檚 University for Gaza at UBCO group spoke with Capital News under the condition that their identity remains anonymous. She said that the group is calling on the University of British Columbia to meet five key demands including the official divestment from all companies complicit in the Israeli, 害羞草研究所渙ppression and genocide of Palestinians.害羞草研究所�
The group is also calling on UBC to participate in the global academic boycott of Israeli Universities, to condemn the genocide in Gaza, to keep police off the campus and to reaffirm Palestinian害羞草研究所檚 right to resist and their right to return.
The group of protesters is made up of youth who are both undergrad and grad students and members of the community from diverse backgrounds, including people of Jewish and Palestinian descent.
In response to a request for an interview, saying that the university 害羞草研究所渧alues freedom of expression and respects peaceful protest.害羞草研究所�
Campus Security also said that the university recognizes that 害羞草研究所淚srael and Palestine evoke complex emotions,害羞草研究所� and recognizes the 害羞草研究所渃oncerns of many in our community.害羞草研究所�
The university said it is currently monitoring the encampment and requesting that everyone remain safe and respectful.
Professors at UBC are also standing in support of those occupying the encampment.
A group called released a public letter to President Benoit-Antoine Bacon on May 10, in response to a Campus Broadcast.
害羞草研究所淭he University of British Columbia holds capital investments in companies that are complicit in Israel害羞草研究所檚 military campaign and occupation of Palestine,害羞草研究所� said UBC Professors for Palestine.
They said that UBC invests in companies 害羞草研究所� including weapons manufacturers, military contractors and aerospace companies 害羞草研究所� that are directly profiting from the ongoing genocide of Palestinians.
害羞草研究所淯BC is investing in companies that are profiting from war crimes, decades of illegal occupation and ethnic cleansing.害羞草研究所�
The professors say they support and wish to amplify the voices of the student-run encampments across the country.
An organization called Faculty for Palestine UBCO, say they stand in solidarity with the student encampment on the campus and echo the students害羞草研究所� calls for UBC to divest in corporations that support or profit from Israel害羞草研究所檚 the military occupation of Palestinian territories.
Sana Shahram, PhD, MPH, an assistant professor and co-director of the Equity Science Lab at UBCO, said that she is not at all surprised by the action and stand of solidarity taken by the youth on Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 campus.
Shahram said many of the students have been consistent in their requests for action from faculty and leadership from the university, even been before the 害羞草研究所渁trocious attack by Hamas on Israelis on October 7.害羞草研究所�
While the calls for action regarding the Occupied Territories of Palestine are certainly not new, 害羞草研究所渢hey have intensified and escalated given the scale of this unfolding humanitarian crisis,害羞草研究所� said Shahram.
READ MORE: Trio of B.C. camps join growing wave of pro-Palestine university protests
She added the students害羞草研究所� requests for transparency of how public funds are invested, and their related demands for divestment, seem 害羞草研究所渆xceedingly reasonable.害羞草研究所�
In addition to being an assistant professor with the Faculty of Health and Social Development, School of Nursing, Shahram is also a co-director of the Equity Science Lab alongside Katrina Plamondon, PhD.
With support from other faculty, Plamondon and Shahram have created a 害羞草研究所樅π卟菅芯克鶛 for students, outlining the different roles and responsibilities across the university that should be considered in responding to global crises, like the conflict in Gaza.
Other faculty, including UBC Climate Justice professor and author of Doppelganger,have also been supporting students in navigating this global crisis through the lens of their own expertise, said Shahram.
Shahram said the faculty and students at UBC 害羞草研究所渉ave learning to do on how best to navigate and respond to global crises that are, and will continue to, land on our campus community.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淲e should be leaning into our best evidence and processes to do this, alongside our students who want to build a better and more fair world害羞草研究所�.
People at the UBCO encampment said that members of the public are invited to follow the group on Instagram to learn more and get involved. They said they are thankful to those who have delivered food, and supplies and stopped by to give words of support.
