UBC values freedom of expression and respects peaceful protest. The university also recognizes that the violence in Israel and Palestine evokes complex emotions and we recognize the concerns and suffering of many in our community.
We were also clear that any protest actions must unfold with respect for others and within the boundaries of university policy. The university is monitoring the situation in MacInnes Field and is calling on everyone to remain safe and respectful. UBC Security, April 30, 2024.
Early Monday morning (April 29, 2024) a small group of protesters set up a fenced off camp on MacInnes field, between the Nest and the UBC bus loop. The small area of the artificial turf field (located over a parking lot) is neatly organized. There are portable toilets, a stage with a sound system, and a communal cooking tent. During the day and into the evenings study sessions are being held on topics related to the current war and the history that brought us here.
The student campers’ publicity can be found on their instagram page (click on image to view).
On their instagram page are a half dozen statements of faculty support, photos of the camp, rules of conduct, and schedules of daily events (which includes several prayer services).
Amidst all the hubbub of campus life the camp sits quietly tucked away out of the main flow of campus. On my walk through campus yesterday, when I took the pictures for this story, there were more people out along Main Mall than in the camp. The Thunderbird fields were filled with sports activities. Save-On Foods was bustling. The plaza to the west of the Nest was filled with people walking, talking, and generally carrying on their lives undisturbed by the camp on the flip side of the Nest. The camp itself was like a quiet suburban cul-de-sac.
UBC has a long history of student protests and occupations. The official history of UBC venerates an act of occupation called the Great Trek in university publicity. Over the years the university has waffled on it’s approach to student protest and dissent.
During the 1997 No APEC student protests UBC used trespass and mischief laws to police dissent. UBC security called the RCMP to arrest student activists who had set up on campus and were using chalk to mark an ‘APEC-free zone.’ As UBC is private property a person asked to leave can be arrested if they refuse an order to do so by a police officer. The chalk line arrests related to defacing private property. At the time I wondered about the administrative irony of having students arrested on one end of campus for painting with chalk, while on the other end industrial paint was regularly tossed over a large concrete structure by students with impunity.
During the same period of time a group of students occupied the president’s office (then located in a low wood building to the north of the Koerner Library). This group was protesting tuition increases. No charges or suspensions were issued.
More recently Extinction Rebellion activists occupied the Alumni Building and went on a hunger strike. Then UBC President, Santa Ono, went and visited with them to check on their wellbeing and to listen to their concerns. Again, no arrests or suspensions followed the occupation.
It remains to be seen how the situation will evolve at the current student protest camp. A lot depends on whether the camp has a clear exit strategy in mind. Their current demands - “disclosure and divestment”- is unlikely to be met in the short term. Divestment from fossil fuels, for example, occurred over a period of years, not hours. Absent a tactical exist strategy the student camp may linger on until it either dissipates, the current war stops (hence removing the motivation), and/or UBC seeks legal means to evict the camp.
Great coverage, thank you! Thanks too for including the history of UBC protests and admin responses for this newer staff member. Stay safe everyone!