IN PHOTOS | Pro-Palestinian protest at UBC's Point Grey campus - Action News
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IN PHOTOS | Pro-Palestinian protest at UBC's Point Grey campus

Organizers at a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of British Columbia's Point Grey campus say they've gained more supporters over the past week as they protest the Israel-Hamas war.

Organizers say more than 100 tents have been set up as protesters prepare to stay

Protesters are pictured at a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of British Columbia near Vancouver, B.C on Wednesday May 2, 2024.
A protester reads at a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of British Columbia's Point Grey campus in Vancouver on Thursday. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

Organizers of a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of British Columbia's Point Grey campus say more than 100 tents have been set up as demonstrators protest theIsrael-Hamas war.

Palestinian flags have been hung on surrounding fences, along with banners calling for "Freedom for Palestine" and for Canada to "stop arming the genocide," referencing the sale of Canadian arms to Israel.

A student encampment for Pro-Palestinian protesters is shown at the University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver on Tuesday, April 30, 2024.
UBC says it is monitoring the encampment and that protests should take place with respect for others and within university policy and the law. (Chuck Chiang/The Canadian Press)
A student encampment for Pro-Palestinian protesters is shown at the University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver on Tuesday, April 30, 2024.
Protesters have called for an end to the war in Gaza and for UBC to divest in companies that they say are complicit in the conflict. (Chuck Chiang/The Canadian Press)

Protesters have stockpiled food, water and other supplies in preparation for a prolonged stay.

Demonstrators say they're focused on creating a safe spaceand hope their camp on MacInnes Field will remain peaceful as protest camps at Columbia University in New York and the University of California-Los Angeles have resulted in clashes, either between attendees and police or counter-protesters.

Camp spokesperson Sam Guptasays those types of confrontations have been minimal at the UBC encampment.

"We've been holding strong, lots of support and no form of escalation from security or RCMP yet, but still we send a lot of strength and support tothe students who have been attacked," Gupta told CBC News.

People look towards a student encampment for Pro-Palestinian protesters is shown at the University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver on Tuesday, April 30, 2024.
Pro-Palestinian protesters at an encampment at UBC's Point Grey campus say they're focused on creating a safe space. (Chuck Chiang/The Canadian Press)
A student encampment for Pro-Palestinian protesters is shown at the University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver on Tuesday, April 30, 2024.
Protesters at the UBC encampment have stockpiled food, water and other supplies. (Chuck Chiang/The Canadian Press)

Organizers say theirgoal is to create a safe space for people of all backgrounds.

A member of theJewish Faculty Network,a group ofprofessors across Canadaconcerned that legitimate criticism of Israel is being labelled antisemitic,has offered his support.

Protesters are pictured at a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of British Columbia near Vancouver, B.C on Wednesday May 2, 2024.
Protesters are pictured at a pro-Palestinian encampment on MacInnes Field on UBC's Point Grey campus. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
Protesters are pictured at a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of British Columbia near Vancouver, B.C on Wednesday May 2, 2024.
A Palestinian flag flies at an encampment at UBC's Point Grey campus. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

"For us as Jewish faculty, we just want to come here and do some myth-busting," said Avi Lewis, an associate professor atUBC's department of geography.

"There's a lot of smears, there's a lot of characterizations of this movement that are frankly false."

Hillel B.C., a group representing Jewish students at seven post-secondary institutions in the province, said in a statement that it had asked UBC for "proactive measures" to prevent "disruption to student life and the educational process."

Protesters are pictured at a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of British Columbia near Vancouver, B.C on Wednesday May 2, 2024.
An organizer of a pro-Palestinian camp at UBC says they have received 'lots of support' and there has been 'no form of escalation from security or RCMP.' (Ben Nelms/CBC)
Protesters are pictured at a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of British Columbia near Vancouver, B.C on Wednesday May 2, 2024.
Protesters are pictured at a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of British Columbia near Vancouver on Thursday. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

In a statement on Monday, UBC said it was monitoring the encampment and is liaising with RCMP.

"Any actions that create a health and safety risk, impede the university community (students, faculty and staff) from continuing learning, research, work and other activities on campus, or damage university property will be taken very seriously and investigated," the statement said.

Protesters are pictured at a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of British Columbia near Vancouver, B.C on Wednesday May 2, 2024.
Tents are set up at an encampment at UBC's Point Grey campus. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
Protesters are pictured at a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of British Columbia near Vancouver, B.C on Wednesday May 2, 2024.
Protesters are pictured at a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of British Columbia on Thursday. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

Pro-Palestinian encampments have also been set up at the University of Victoria and Vancouver Island University.

The protests at North American colleges are in response to Israel's offensive in Gaza, which came after Hamas launched a deadly attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7. Militants killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took roughly 250 hostages, according to the Israeli government.

The Health Ministry in Gaza says Israel has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in its offensive to stamp out Hamas.

Protesters are pictured at a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of British Columbia near Vancouver, B.C on Wednesday May 2, 2024.
Organizers at UBC's pro-Palestinian encampment are offering 'strength and support' to protest camps at U.S. universities that have seen clashes. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

With files from Jon Hernandez and The Canadian Press