Pro-Palestinian encampment at McMaster University ending, school says

McMaster University says the student-led, pro-Palestinianencampment that has grown on campus over the past two-and-a-half weeks is ending after the school and protestors agreed on terms.

The school's update, posted Friday, said therewere a "series of meaningful discussions" that led to the decision. The university saysthe students agreed to remove tents by Saturday evening and not form another encampment on campus.

"McMaster has voted to accept an offer," organizers of the encampment said in an online statement late Friday. "We secured commitments that begin to align with our principlesof human rights and social justice for all."

Caleb Smolenaars,a third-year labour studies student at McMasterand a spokesperson for the McMaster Apartheid Divest Coalition, told CBC Radio's The Current,"we were able toaccomplish a full disclosure of direct and pooled investments that will take place in fall. And this disclosure is a great step. It's something that not very many universities have gotten."

On Saturday, Sam, a McMaster student who participated in the encampment, said, "the security was very respectful... We're proud students of the university. At the end of the day, we want to make sure that our university is not complicit in genocide the university we attend to and the money we spend in our tuition does not go towards contributing to a genocide."

Samdidn't want to reveal his full name for fear of being targeted by those who don't approve of student encampments like the one he participated in.

The groups,McMaster Apartheid Divest Coalition and Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR),have been demanding McMasterdisclose its investments connected to Israel and the war in Gaza and divest from them.

Watch: Whystudents in thepro-Palestinian encampment protested against their own school

Pro-Palestinian encampment at McMaster University comes down

4 months ago

Duration 0:49

A student at the Pro-Palestinian encampment at McMaster University explains why he and others participated. The encampment was set up on May 5 and was taken down on May 25.

On Friday, McMaster said its newcommitments included:

• Having its International Strategy Advisory Committee (ISAC) develop a framework for human rights considerations in international agreements.
• Meeting with its chief financial officer in June about the school's investment strategy, with SPHR in attendance.
• Annual disclosures of all direct investments and the names of the pooled funds held in the school's investment pool to the board of governors.
• Inviting SPHR to present on divestment to the board of governors.
• Creating an open process to allow questions about the school's investments.
• Makingup to $200,000 availableto support qualified Palestinian academics and students under the school's Scholars-at-Risk Program and Students-at-Risk Bursary.
• Publishing a series of stories about McMaster students impacted by conflicts and crises, including Palestinian students.

The ending of the encampment isincontrast withmost other encampments on school campuses.Somehave seen universities file injunctions on demonstrators, issue trespass noticesorpolice cracking down on protesters.

"This has been a very difficult time for many people on our campus. We recognize the profound grief that so many are experiencing," read McMaster's update.

"We also appreciate the willingness of those in the encampment who were willing to participate in such productive discussions."

In their statement, the student organizers also thanked "students, staff, faculty members, and community members" for their support, adding: "Let us be clear: not all our demands have been met... These results are just the beginning of our efforts."

Smolenaarstold Matt Galloway, the host of The Current, they're"hoping that McMaster's willingness to meet with usand reach thiscompromise will prompt other universities totake a little bit of a step further, and continue meeting with their students and meeting some of their demands, rather than just calling the police on them."

Listen | How the McMaster encampment ended in compromise:

The Current19:31How the McMaster encampment ended in compromise

The pro-Palestinian encampment at McMaster University in Hamilton has ended after protesters and the school agreed terms. Matt Galloway talks to encampment spokesperson Caleb Smolenaars about how they reached a compromise when other universities and protesters are at an impasse.

The student groups set up the encampment on McMaster campus on May 5.

It drew attention to the ongoing humanitarian situation in Gaza, where more than 35,000 Palestinians have been killed since early October, according to health officials in Gaza.

While the health ministry does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its death tolls, it says the majority of the dead have been women and children.

The humanitarian situation follows the Israeli military's response to an attack on Oct. 7 that was launched by Hamas and other militants. In that attack, 1,200 people were killed, including several Canadian citizens. Hamas also took more than 250 people hostage.

The initial demands from the encampment were that the school:

• Discloseits investments in weapons companies and defence contractors, and divests from companies they say have ties to Israel and the conflict in Gaza.
• Terminateexchange programs and partnerships with Israeli academic institutions.
• Declarethat Israel's bombardment of Gaza is a genocide.

Within a week, the encampment grew to have over 100 people and close to 70 tents, with daily activities and speakers.

• McMaster offers to meet with students about investments only when pro-Palestinian encampment ends

• Pro-Palestinian protesters say meeting with McMaster University 'a good start'

• McMaster University students set up pro-Palestinian encampment 'indefinitely' as campus protests grow