Organizers of a pro-Palestinian demonstration at the University of Toronto are calling the school’s offer of a resolution “a farce,” but they wouldn’t confirm on Friday if they would clear the encampment by the 4 p.m. deadline.
That’s when the university says trespass notices will begin to be served, with police action not being ruled out.
On Thursday, the school gave the protesters 24 hours to consider their offer to end the on-going demonstration.
On Friday, organizers called it an “ultimatum” and seemed to vehemently reject it.
This document is a farce,” U of T student organizer, Kalliopé Anvar McCall, said, holding up a copy of the proposal.
“This document is nothing but a summary of their already-existing procedure on divestment and disclosure with a few minor tweaks to bait us into thinking that we are getting a good deal out of this.”
“This is not an offer,” she added. “This is an ultimatum. They are trying to force us to accept these outrageous terms by threatening to clear us out at the same time.”
The university’s offer includes inviting students to present their demands to U of T’s business board of governing council at a summer meeting, and forming a working group to consider options for the disclosure of the school’s investments.
But the university has made it clear that despite protestor’s demands, it won’t end any partnerships with Israeli universities.
The encampment began on May 2 on a green space at King’s College Circle on the university’s St. George Campus. Protestors are calling on the university to divest from Israeli companies and terminate partnerships with some Israeli academic institutions.
Erin Mackey, a spokesperson for U of T Occupy Palestine, was repeatedly asked by reporters if the group would clear out by the 4 p.m. deadline, but repeatedly dodged giving a direct answer.
“It’s not 4 p.m. yet,” she said. “We are still trying to figure out what our next steps are.”
Meanwhile some are already a few days into a hunger strike.
Fred Beausoleil, a graduate student and incoming PHD student, is one of them.
“A group of students have begun an indefinite hunger strike,” he said. “We will continue until the university stops aligning itself with war criminals.”
“We won’t eat until U of T’s defeat.”
With files from The Canadian Press