Justice For Palestinians Calgary Solidarity with Student Encampments Statement

Justice For Palestinians (FP) Calgary stands in solidarity with the student encampments at the University of Calgary and throughout Turtle Island who are advocating for justice for the people of Palestine and accountability for those responsible for the ongoing settler colonialism and current genocide in Gaza. After more than 75 years of occupation, over 200 days of genocide, and the university's prolonged silence regarding the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza, including the current unjustified attack on Rafah (where 1.7 million people seek shelter), these student encampments are taking a strong stance against complicity in genocide normalization. JFP firmly supports the students' demand for an academic boycott and complete divestment from Israeli businesses. Canadian institutions must cease involvement in arming Israel, discontinue all forms of political complicity, and completely divest until a just peace is reached. As a community driven by the pursuit of social justice, we strongly condemn the universities' role in the Palestinian genocide facilitated through investments and funding from Israeli technology and weapons manufacturers, as well as academic ties with Israeli universities complicit in occupation, settler-colonialism, and apartheid.

These student-led encampments continue a legacy of powerful resistance against imperialism, reminiscent of past movements such as the anti-war movement in response to the Vietnam war, and the fight to end apartheid in South Africa. Just as in these historic instances, today's students are confronting institutional repression and violence. Justice for Palestinians Calgary condemns all acts of racism and violence against any student or faculty member, including their labelling as antisemitic for participating in any action in fighting for the liberation of Palestine.

The Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement is a non-violent call for resistance by Palestinians after decades of oppression, imploring us to refrain from “business as usual" and sever economic ties with Israel until it complies with International Law. We commend these students who draw on the rich history of advocacy and resistance to make their demands abundantly clear: students will not be funding genocide.

Although we hope the Institutions will operate in good faith in engaging in open-dialogue with these students, we are also cognisant of a growing trend of potential escalations by these institutions, and anticipate their involvement of the Calgary Police and Campus Security. Therefore, JFP urges our community to publicly support local student encampments and their calls for divestment and boycott. Additionally, we encourage donations to meet students’ needs at the encampments and emphasize the importance of keeping our focus on both the students and the people of Gaza, as we continue to monitor events closely. JFP Calgary extends our unwavering solidarity to Palestinians and students as they demand action against genocide, occupation, and apartheid.