In response to the escalating concerns, challenges, and anti-Palestinian racism faced by Palestinian students at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), Palestinian students at TMU have taken the initiative to write this open letter addressing these issues and calling for action from the University:
We, the Palestinian students at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), and our allies, have become the targets of threats, harassment and hate. We call on the community members of TMU to stand with us and call for the protection of Palestinian students on campus, as well as our right to free speech.
The increase of anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab, and Islamophobic incidents and behaviour throughout the world is being felt within the University premises here at TMU as well. These incidents have not only jeopardized the safety of Palestinian students, but have also instilled a pervasive atmosphere of fear and silence among many of us as well. The impact of these incidents extends beyond the immediate threats, affecting the mental and emotional well-being of many of us and our fellow students. As students and Canadians, we firmly believe in our right to express ourselves freely without the burden of oppression or intimidation, and refuse to be silent any longer.
In the past few weeks, many TMU students have already faced attacks and harassment off campus - a few horrific examples include: (1) A TMU student being called a ‘terrorist’ at Dundas Subway Station after leaving campus for wearing the ‘keffiyeh’ scarf, a symbol of Palestinian solidarity, (2) a TMU student on the way to campus being told by a group that they hope his mom is raped by the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces), as well as (3) through social media harassment, including messages and comments, to the official Instagram page of the Palestinian Cultural Club, or PCC for short, as well as to the personal accounts of members of the club, overall attacking and policing of our self-expression and solidarity with Palestine within digital mediums.
The Palestinian students and allies at TMU, who already experience unsafe and hateful conditions off-campus, deserve the right to be and feel safe on campus at least, however they currently are not. There have been many reports of harassment and threats brought to our attention that have directly impacted the safety and well-being of Palestinian students on campus. For example, Palestinian students have been told to go back to their country, have had their peaceful events for Palestine threatened, have had Palestine-related posters ripped down, and have overall had their right to self-expression limited. Yet, arguably the most disturbing situation occurred during a pro-Palestinian demonstration on campus on October 25th, where in a clear form of intimidation, a pro-Israel TMU student confronted Palestinian students while wearing Israeli Defense Forces shirt, the military of Israel, which is currently operating in Gaza and has reportedly killed over 10,000 Palestinian civilians and counting. This student proceeded to tell a Palestinian student that he would go and kill her whole family back home [in Palestine]. This student was reported to authorities, first through a police report to Toronto Police, which resulted in no action, and secondly to the Toronto Metropolitan University authorities, who have yet to take any action towards the student either.
The Toronto Metropolitan University establishes a Student Code of Non-academic Conduct, in which the purpose is to create standards within the community to protect students rights, expectations, and responsibilities that relate to non-academic conducts. In the Policy 61, 1.0, it states “The Code identifies sanctions that may be assigned which are proportionate to conduct that does not meet community standards; conduct that jeopardizes the proper and orderly functioning of academic and non-academic programs, activities, or operations of the University; conduct that endangers the health, safety, rights, or property of the members of its community, or conduct that adversely affects the property of the University or entities related to the University. The Code provides for and outlines the support available to University community members impacted by conduct that does not meet community standards.” This code has clearly been breached by the student mentioned in the previous paragraph, who endangered and continues to endanger the health, safety, and rights of members of the Toronto Metropolitan University. We call on Toronto Metropolitan University to investigate this situation and issue the immediate suspension of this student, due to the threatening and violent language used by him to intimidate and harass other TMU students.
Furthermore, Policy 61, 5.4 of the Toronto Metropolitan University Student Code of Non-Academic conduct states “The University values and respects the diversity of knowledge, world views, and experiences from membership in different groups and the contribution that diversity and inclusion make to the learning, teaching, living, research, and work environment.” The Palestinian Cultural Club is committed to educating and helping students learn about the issues taking place in Palestine, where our members are ethnically from, however, we are being limited in our ability to do so, and feel as if we do not have the ability to voice our thoughts or safely contribute without facing immense backlash and intimidation. Just last week, the Palestinian Cultural Club, among multiple other student groups on campus, including the Middle Eastern Student Association (MESA), Arab Student Association (ASA), Egyptian Student Association (ESA), BIPOC, and the Toronto Metropolitan Students’ Union (TMSU), recently organized an educational panel for Palestine where students and non-students of all backgrounds were welcome to come and learn about Palestinian history, culture and struggle. This thoroughly planned event was created as a safe space for the Toronto Metropolitan University community and beyond, to speak about Palestine, through history and what is currently happening there right now. Although this event was thankfully a massive success, it faced constant complaints from pro-Israel students on campus, and even threats of some wanting to come to the event and protest. This caused immense fear and worry throughout the various organizing clubs, members, and attendees, in fear that something horrific would happen on the day of the event. As a result of feeling unsafe on our own campus, we were forced to implement extra security, marshals and even police officers, to protect us on the day of the event. We should not need to live or operate in fear. In Policy 61, 5.5 of the Student Code of Non-Academic conduct, it states “The University recognizes students’ right to express themselves and engage in respectful debate and discussion. Students have the right to participate in peaceful and lawful assemblies and demonstrations without harassment, disruption, or acts of violence in accordance with the University’s Statement on Freedom of Speech.” Although we have acted completely peacefully and lawfully, we still receive harassment from anti-Palestinian students at Toronto Metropolitan University, which restricts our right to express ourselves, and exercise freedom of speech. This results in students feeling limited, censored, and utterly afraid, to attend or even organize rightful demonstrations. We must create and uphold a safe space for Palestinian students and others alike to feel secure and comfortable on campus, as aligned with the Student Code of Non-Academic conduct.
Lastly, the dire situation currently taking place abroad has not only impacted Palestinians there, however it has significantly and negatively impacted the Palestinian students here at TMU. On top of battling an unsafe campus, Palestinian students have been suffering mentally and emotionally for the past few weeks. Many of us, who have or had family in the region, have struggled to prioritize and keep up with school work. Our entire lives have been impacted due to witnessing the current genocide of Gaza, which is still ongoing. While we know not much can be done to amend the situation overseas, we call on Toronto Metropolitan University to implement specific mental health resources here on campus to assist Palestinian students and allies in navigating these hard times.
We have three overall demands to the University, including:
1. To allocate a physical safe space on campus, in which Palestinian students and allies can connect and communicate, freely without any harassment or threats, while also fostering an overall safe environment, free of anti-Palestinian racism.
2. To investigate and issue immediate consequences to any and all students violating the University’s Student Code of Non-academic Conduct as outlined, through any anti-Palestinian rhetoric, threats, hate or harassment that negatively impacts the safety and mental health of other students.
3. To provide specific mental health resources to any impacted or struggling Palestinian students, including a Palestinian counselor/mental health professional to offer support.
Through these demands, we are simply asking for equal treatment, safety, and support. We believe these solutions would not only improve the safety of the Palestinian students at TMU, but also allow their voices to be heard without the fear of repercussions. We hope to continue to provide Palestinian students the space to voice their beliefs in a peaceful and lawful manner without the fearfulness and anxiety that comes from anti-Palestinian racism. Palestinians, everywhere, simply want to be safe and free - free of oppression, free to speak, free to exist.
We hope this letter will force action to be taken, as it is needed now more than ever.