West University Camp has been eliminated | CTV News

After threats from Western University to dismantle before the end of the weekend, the pro-Palestinian camp on campus fell.

The Western Divestment Coalition (WDC) held a rally outside the gates of the University on Saturday to announce that they had torn down the tents, which had been in place since May 8.

“Western University gave the final proposal to the students and they made it very clear that the camp must end before the weekend,” said Mahmoud, a WDC organizer who did not want to give his last name.

Mahmoud, who did not want to give his last name, speaks at a rally on behalf of the Western Divestment Coalition on Saturday, July 6, 2024 (Credit: Brent Lale/CTV London)

“They have made it very clear that if the students don’t voluntarily close the camp, they will go after the people who attended the camp, as they have already proven by issuing trespass notices to one of the students. representatives and other students who were just participating in the camp”.

Just days ago, Western University President Alan Shepard told protesters they would not seek disciplinary action if they voluntarily removed the camp.

On Friday, Shepard issued a statement saying, “Unfortunately, coalition members have not accepted our proposal and have not signaled an intention to leave the camp.”

Based on that statement and WDC’s position that they had no plans to leave, it came as a shock Saturday when WDC announced it had removed the encampment from the University Community Center.

“I think it’s an important decision to make,” Mahmoud said.

“I didn’t know what path Western was going to take. It could have been a process like we saw in Waterloo or an ordinance. I saw one of our mates, I think it was York, that opened for a day and they closed one day because the police came on them. We don’t know what Western University wrote they were going to try and get, but it’s very clear that they stopped negotiating and in good faith.”

The Western Divestment Coalition held a rally outside Western University in London, Ont. on Saturday, July 6, 2024, to announce their camp was removed after 60 days. (Source: Brent Lale/CTV London)

Joining WDC on Saturday was Western University Associate Professor David Heap.

“The camp was an amazing experience,” said Heap, a faculty member from Palestine.

“This is the beginning of a continuous struggle. We know these are long fights, but that eventually, led by the student movement, we will win divestment, disclosure, boycott, and amnesty at Western. As in other institutions, students are the moral compass, showing us the way to a fairer West and a fairer London and a fairer Canadian society.”

This camp is the latest in Ontario to end. This week, protesters at the University of Toronto shut down their camp when faced with a court injunction.

The University of Waterloo filed a lawsuit against the protesters.

Heap said he has not been threatened with repercussions, but added that the University has not heard the last of them.

“Camps are just one tactic, there are many tactics this coalition can use,” Heap said.

“There are various activities in the coming months from conferences, sporting events and O-week is coming up in September. They haven’t heard the last of us. We will come back”.

The WDC echoed that they are not just a camp coalition and that the fight for disinvestment will continue.

“Western University has dropped out of South Africa before,” Mahmoud said.

“That took them six years; however, hopefully this won’t take six years. Rest assured everyone, students and the whole London community and the world will not stop fighting for divestment.”

The grass outside the University Community Center at Western University is dead after tents have been placed there for nearly two months. (Source: Brent Lale/CTV London)