Following in the footsteps of McGill University and Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), students at Université de Sherbrooke (UdeS) have set up a camp on their school grounds to protest the war between Israel and Hamas.
The newspaper “La Tribune” reported that a dozen tents were set up in front of the multifunctional pavilion early Monday afternoon and between 10 and 15 people were expected to spend the night there.
“The encampment finally begins in Sherbrooke,” organizers posted on Instagram. “Join the movement to denounce genocide in Palestine, support other student encampments and call on the university to publicly condemn genocide, publicly denounce Canada’s complicity, call on Canada to stop arms sales, fully disclose investments and more,” they wrote in a post.
In a written statement sent to “La Tribune”, Université de Sherbrooke officials say they are “assessing the regulatory and safety compliance of the facility.”
“UdeS respects and values the freedom of expression and academic freedom of the members of its university community, as long as these actions take place in a safe environment, respect the rules and do not impede teaching, research or partner activities.”
— This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on May 14, 2024.