UBC responds to campus clashes over Israel-Gaza war

UBC’s new president is calling for respect and compassion on campus after clashes over the Israel-Gaza war.

Benoit-Antoine Bacon issued a letter on Monday to staff and students on the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses regarding the rising tensions on campus.

“I have regretfully been made aware of campus incidents,” wrote Bacon.

“These have included forms of disrespect, bullying, harassment, discrimination and intimidation. Hate and racism of any kind will not be tolerated at UBC.”

Bacon explained that campus is a place where they uphold their shared values of inclusion, dignity, and human rights.

He listed measures being taken for those on campus affected by the war through accommodations, increased security, emergency funds and professional support services.

“It is unacceptable that any student, faculty or staff not feel safe on campus,” the letter read.

The letter went on to say that the campus is diverse and that divergent and conflicting viewpoints must peacefully coexist.

Bacon’s letter comes after hundreds of UBC faculty members signed a letter calling on him to denounce all forms of harassment.

Rob Philipp signed the letter and says Bacon’s response is encouraging during the heightened tension on campus.

"I have never seen such stress on the campus, and it's in the faces of the students,” said Phlipp, the executive director of Hillel BC, an organization on the UBC campus.

"We've had situations where students come in to our building, in tears. So they're stressed out because they've either been called a name or feeling unsafe of going to their classes and they need campus security to take them there." 

UBC student and president of Israel in Campus, Jillian Marks, said although she would have liked the word anti-Semitism be used in the letter she appreciates the response.

"I was relieved at the fact that there is empathy, there is some sort of validation. He's coming from a place of respect so I do really appreciate that —with that being said I was definitely hoping for more as a Jewish student and as a UBC student in general,” said Marks.

CTV News attempted to contact the campus Palestinian human rights group but has not yet received a response.