Quebec students take part in pro-Palestinian protests; Dawson College cancels classes

Multiple student associations from universities and CEGEPs across Quebec are participating in pro-Palestinian protests on Thursday and Friday.

The Dawson Student Union (DSU) is one of the groups taking part in the demonstrations. The group says that its protest coincides with the International Day of Action against genocide and student repression.

“I think that there’s certain pent-up frustration and fear and anxiety and I think that this protest is a demonstration that our voices must be heard,” Victoria Ormiston, vice-president of academics and advocacy at DSU.

“We want them to be able to speak freely and I think that that is the motives behind this protest.”

The student union president, Kenneth Clarence, said rallies allow students to voice how they feel – something a school setting can’t always provide.

“People feel strongly about the subject, first of all, and I believe that this assembly here right now that we’re doing is a way of letting students voice out their anguish or all their emotions regarding the topic outside of the classroom,” Clarence said. “In the classroom they couldn’t really express themselves in a similar manner as this.”

“The goal is to show our solidarity with the people facing a genocide in Gaza, especially the students of Gaza who haven’t been able to go to school for the past 400 days,” added Iman, a spokesperson with Dawson solidarity for Palestinian human rights (SPHR).

Leading up to the demonstration, the administration for Dawson College made the decision to cancel classes Thursday in response to the student union protest, citing safety concerns.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) called Dawson’s decision to cancel classes problematic.

“It’s a big problem for all students because they (are prevented) to study,” said Julien Corona, CIJA’s associate director of communications. “And also it’s like caving for the administration, Dawson is caving to extremists.”

“Today has been, it’s really saddening especially for the Jewish students and for any student who just wanted to come into school today,” added Dawson College student Max Grossman, who is Jewish. “Our break is now cut because of this protest.”

The Coalition de Résistance pour l’Unité Étudiante Syndicale (CRUES), the group organizing the strikes across Quebec post-secondary institutions, says their primary campaign is to focus on Palestinian liberation, with the goal of getting institutions, corporations, the federal and provincial governments to sever all ties with Israel.

“The demands universally are pretty straightforward,” said Danna Ballantyne, external and mobilization coordinator at the Concordia Student Union. “It’s disclosure and divestment. So students are asking their administration to disclose their investment portfolios and that would be a step towards divesting from weapons manufacturers, companies, institutions and programs that are complicit in war crimes, Israeli apartheid and the ongoing genocide in Gaza.”

Earlier on Thursday, Montreal police launched an investigation into graffiti sprayed on the Université de Montréal campus that authorities link to the Israel-Hamas war.

“Some of the lettering indicates ‘Free Palestine’ in the graffiti,” said UdeM spokesperson Geneviève O’Meara.

By Thursday afternoon, pro-Palestinian protesters took to the streets of downtown Montreal, with some entering Concordia University’s Hall building on de Maisonneuve Street.

The SPVM say that ‘Free Gaza’ was found written in black and pink graffiti in the building.

Montreal police add that during the pro-Palestinian protests in downtown Montreal a security agent was allegedly assaulted, but not injured. The SPVM say that no arrests have been made, but a police officer will be looking into it.

“We want students to have the opportunity to voice, to shout, to scream however loud they want, what they want the government and these institutions to see,” Ormiston said.