Protesters remove Western encampment, but say divestment calls will continue

Square, dry patches of grass were among what little remained Sunday of a two-month encampment on Western University's campus by pro-Palestinian demonstrators.

The group, which calls itself the Western Divestment Coalition, removed the encampment on Western's Concrete Beach on Saturday, citing careful consideration by students involved, and a commitment to "keep divestment our central focus, regardless of the means employed."

"The encampment was only a means to an end. There are always more means. Our commitment to divestment remains firm," the group said in a statement, read aloud by a coalition spokesperson during a news conference near campus on Saturday.

"We will not give up or give in until Western abides by the ethical investment standards it claims to uphold, and exemplifies its commitment to decolonization beyond empty public statements."

Concrete Beach was largely deserted on Sunday,save for a worker using a pressure washer to remove pro-Palestinian messages written onto the concrete.

Two security guards were also present over the lunch hour, taking photos of messages left behind by protesters on the numerous picnic tables outsidethe University Community Centre.

The move by protesters to dismantle the encampment came days afterWestern's president, Alan Shepard, said the university wouldn't pursue disciplinary action against participating students or employees if the camp were voluntarily removed by the end of the weekend.

The statement did not provide any detail about the possible disciplinary action. Western has refused all requests for comment from CBC News about the encampment, including requests for answers or clarification about the public statements it has issued.

"If a student or an employee engaged in violence, property damage, building barricades, unauthorized entry into buildings, harassment or discrimination, they will be held accountable," reads Shepard's statement, dated July 3.

It also came days after protesters cleared asimilar encampment at the University of Torontoahead of a court-ordered deadline to leave.

The group has been calling for Western to divest from "high-priority divestment targets including military contractors," and those in a UN database of businesses linked to Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory.

The group's official proposal, made public on Friday, demands Western contribute to rebuilding higher education in Gaza, and boycott agreements with academic institutions "complicit in discrimination and human rights violation."

It also calls for the creation of a five-member committee to oversee Western's investment plans and academic relationships, with one member elected by the coalition, and another elected by Faculty for Palestine.

Earlier in the week, Western had put forward commitments it would take in response to the demands, including that it:

• Implement a feedback process with respect to responsible investing.
• Offer a meeting with Western's investment team.
• Contribute to rebuilding higher education in Gaza.
• Increase support to the Global Students and Scholars at Risk Program.
• Formalize a framework for Western's international partnerships.

In a statement on Friday, Western said the coalition had rejected the university's proposal, which the group said was nearly identical to one put forward in late May.

The school added that some community members and guests had reported "intimidation, harassment and other disrespectful acts within and around the encampment."

"We are also continuing to investigate reports of illegal behaviour,including assault and vandalism."

On Saturday, members of the coalition pushed back, saying the comments, and others like it, showed a lack of good faith on Western's part in negotiations.

"We have conducted our negotiations in good faith, making a concerted effort to avoid negotiation through press releases or media," the group said.

"It is shameful that the administration could not maintain these basic principles of courtesy, opting instead for misleading and inflammatory descriptions of the protestorsand authoritarian ultimatums through public statements."

In his own statement, issued Saturday evening, Shepard said the university would focus on "restoring relationships and identifying opportunities to come together as a community."

"We acknowledge this will take time and are prepared to engage in this important work."