Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) staged a rally at the Hall Building on Monday to protest the university hearings which began for six students charged with violations of the Code of Rights and Responsibilities. At the same time, Hillel came to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. day.
“If anyone is cold today, there’s only one group to blame, and that’s the administration,” Laith Marouf told the crowd of about 60 while he fingered Bishop’s Court from the Northwestern corner of de Maisonneuve and Bishop.
The administration got an injunction for Concordia on Saturday, barring SPHR or the Concordia Student Union (CSU) from protesting indoors until Jan. 28.
Hillel set up camp on the Northeastern corner of de Maisonneuve and Mackay with placards displaying anti-CSU sentiments, such as “Criminal Student Union.” Hillel co-President Noah Sarna said he wanted to see the students charged for their actions on Sept. 9, but that the group was mainly there to celebrate non-violence in an homage to the famous civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr.
Supporters of the accused students began to make speeches at 12:45 p.m., focusing on the alleged unfairness of the hearings the students would have to undergo at 2:00 p.m. at Lonergan College on the Loyola Campus.
Zev Tiefenbach of The People’s Potato, who were also on hand to serve free food, was one of the speakers. “I don’t understand how the university can be trying us without first inquiring into racism at this school,” he said. Of the students charged, the protesters claimed almost all were Muslims and Palestinian supporters.
The organizers had originally planned to show video footage of the Sept. 9 protesters being assaulted by police officers and not committing any acts of violence; instead organizers handed out flyers on the street which said what their plans had been.
CSU Vice President Ralph Lee, who is responsible for the students’ defense along with Jean-Marc Bouchard of the Student Advocacy Centre, has said that the students charged are not guilty of the offenses they’ve been charged with. Those who say the hearings are unfair claim that the panel is selected entirely by the administration, as well as the presiding lawyer, Assistant Dean of arts and sciences William Knitter.
Under the Code of Rights and Responsibilities, said Lee, hearings are always formed this way. But since the administration is the complainant for the first time, allowing them to set up the hearing is a conflict of interest.
On the way to his hearing at 1:55 p.m. with fellow CSU executive Sameer Zuberi, Aaron Mat
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