A group of protestors chanting in the UBCO courtyard encamptment on May 13, 2024.

(JESSE TOMAS / iNFOnews.ca)

A pro-Palestine group has set up an encampment at the University of British Columbia Okanagan campus with a list of demands.

As the conflict in Gaza approaches its 220th day, students and community members want UBCO to comply with their five demands; divest from companies the movement said are complicit in the “Israeli apartheid regime,” join the academic boycott of Israeli universities, publicly condemn Israel’s actions in Gaza, keep police off campus and “reaffirm Palestinians’ right to resist.”

“Our university, the University of British Columbia, continues to financially enable all of this destruction and violence,” an activist said in a speech. “In 2022, UBC invested more than $66 million in firms that are active agents in the illegal settlement enterprise in the occupied West Bank and the ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. To this day, the university continues to profit off of the mass killing, displacement, and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.”

This protest comes after students at several universities around the country and the U.S. have set up similar encampments.

None of the people involved in the Kelowna protest would identify themselves.

“We're representing the People's University for Gaza, following all the other universities right now that are doing similar styles of encampment,” the group’s unnamed media liaison said.

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The protestors have set up camp in the main courtyard near the UBCO bus exchange. There are several tents, a stocked kitchen tent, a tent designated as a quiet area, numerous signs and flags, and a barricade made of pallets and benches.

At the entrance to the makeshift fortress the group has a sign listing its community agreements, at least one reporter from another outlet was barred by protestors from entering the camp. The community agreement asks fellow protestors to remain anonymous, refuse to speak with police or engage with counter-protestors. 

A list of community agreements posted in the encampment.

(JESSE TOMAS / iNFOnews.ca)

The group’s representative said they are prepared for opposition but are prioritizing public safety.

“We're here to not cooperate with any police or cops or any form of security and definitely keep up with what's happening on other campuses. But we are trying to keep public safety as number one,” they said.

There were roughly 25 students at the camp at 11 a.m. today, May 13, but the media liaison said about 60 people helped set the camp up at 5 a.m. today.

“We're really lucky to have a really strong community presence. A lot of people are showing up in any way that they can. We have donations that people can kind of stay up to date with from our Instagram page if people are looking to help in any way that they can,” the liaison said.

The group’s media liaison declined to comment on how long they were prepared to camp out for. Protestors declined to give their names or comments and directed all questions to their media liaison.

UBCO staff around the camp declined to comment, but the school put out a statement on its website. It said regular operations will continue and that the university, "values freedom of expression and respects peaceful protest." UBCO also said it would ensure the protest is conducted legally and with adherence to university policy.

"The university is monitoring the situation and is continuing to liaise with law enforcement to ensure the safety of those both inside and outside the protest area," the statement read. "To the extent that inappropriate conduct violates one or more of the university’s policies, individuals may be subject to the university’s disciplinary processes or other appropriate measures under the university’s discrimination policy or student code of conduct."

A sign listing companies the group said are complicit in Israel's actions in Gaza.

(JESSE TOMAS / iNFOnews.ca)

A view of one of the pallet barricades.

(JESSE TOMAS / iNFOnews.ca)

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