Gaza protesters at University of Victoria say encampment will stay until demands are met

A pro-Palestinian protest camp has formed at the University of Victoria in solidarity with the people of Gaza and with similar encampments that have sprung up on university and college campuses in opposition to the Israel-Hamas war.

A statement from the group says campers are calling on the school to cut academic ties with Israeli universities and divest from companies they say are complicit in the ongoing war.

Approximately three dozen protesters and two dozen tents were inside the university's central quad area Wednesday with campus security on hand but no sign of police intervention.

"We will continue to stand our ground and the encampment will remain indefinitely until the university agrees to our demands and divests from genocide," the statement from the group said.

The protesters are also asking UVic's board of directors to publicly condemn the killing of Palestinians and to create a plan to ensure the safety of Palestinian students and their supporters on campus.

The university did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the campus protest but issued a notice saying the school supports peaceful demonstrations and free expression.

"Out of an abundance of caution, campus security may be monitoring access to buildings near the demonstration and may ask people for information prior to entering these buildings," the school said, noting campus security is working with local police to ensure the protest remains safe.

Vancouver Island University protest

The encampment comes amid a wave of protests at schools across North America as Israel's offensive in Gaza approaches its seventh month with tens of thousands of civilians killed in the fighting.

Vancouver Island University says it has been in contact with the RCMP after a protest camp cropped up at its Nanaimo campus on Wednesday morning.

The Students for Palestine Committee invited all current and former students, staff and community members to join the encampment in opposition to the war.

The university says its code of conduct for students and its expectations for staff "clearly prohibit such behaviours" if they create a safety risk or impede learning and research on campus.

"Hate speech and intolerance have no place at VIU," university spokesperson Jenn McGarrigle said in a statement. "Universities must be safe spaces that support debate where conflicting views can peacefully co-exist."

Premier David Eby addressed a similar encampment Monday at the University of British Columbia, where demonstrators have erected fencing and other barriers around a turf field near the Alma Mater Society building

The premier said all universities "should be a place for people to be able to express themselves," adding that it's "critical that a campus remain safe for students of all backgrounds."

In a statement posted online, Jewish student association Hillel BC instructed its members not to engage with the protests in any way.

The group also said it has asked UBC specifically to take "proactive measures" to prevent disruption to student life on campus.