A small group of Pro-Palestinian protesters disrupted a Queen’s University convocation ceremony outside the Isabel Bader Centre in Kingston, Ontario. The protesters were seeking to draw attention to what they perceived as the university’s silence on Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas. One of the protesters, Yara Hussein, stated that the group was frustrated with the medical school’s lack of response to the health care crisis in Gaza. They called for the current dean of Queen’s Health Sciences, Jane Philpott, to step down, accusing the university of complicity in genocide. Kevin Beach, a healthcare worker in Kingston, also joined the protest in support of the community’s demands for the university to divest from Israeli-linked companies.
The disruption of the graduation ceremony resulted in the event being cut short by several minutes. Queen’s University issued a statement expressing regret over the disruption caused to the graduates and their families. The university acknowledged that the protest interrupted a celebratory event marking the culmination of years of academic effort for the final year residents and clinical fellows. The protesters’ actions came after the university had established a divestment committee to address previous demands for divestment from Israeli-linked companies. Despite the protesters’ hopes for representation on the committee, they were not accommodated.
The university’s divestment committee includes members of the Board of Trustees, faculty, and student representatives. The university emphasized that the committee was formed to consider the matter in a fair and objective manner. The protesters had hoped for at least two seats on the committee to ensure their voices were heard in the decision-making process. The university’s decision not to accommodate this request led to further frustration among the protesters. The protest at Queen’s University is part of a larger movement calling for institutions to divest from companies linked to human rights abuses, particularly in regions of conflict such as Israel and Palestine.
Despite the disruption caused by the protesters, the university reiterated its commitment to academic excellence and the celebration of its graduating students. Queen’s University emphasized the importance of dialogue and engagement on complex issues, including divestment and social justice. The university’s response to the protest reflects a desire to balance academic freedom and social responsibility. The ongoing debate surrounding divestment from Israeli-linked companies highlights the intersection of politics, human rights, and academic institutions. As the divestment committee continues its work, it remains to be seen how Queen’s University will address the demands of the protesters and navigate the challenges of upholding its academic mission while also responding to calls for social justice and accountability.
Overall, the protest at Queen’s University serves as a reminder of the power of student and community activism in holding institutions accountable for their actions. The protesters’ demands for divestment highlight the importance of ethical investment practices and the responsibility of universities to consider the human rights implications of their financial decisions. As the conversation around divestment from Israeli-linked companies continues, it raises questions about the role of universities in promoting social justice and addressing global conflicts. The protest at Queen’s University is just one example of how students and community members can come together to advocate for change and challenge institutional policies that they believe are complicit in human rights violations.
