Students gathered in the Mezzanine on Sept. 25 to show their disapproval of the moratorium imposed by the administration.
At 1:00 p.m., about a dozen student organizations assembled and set up their display on blankets to circumvent the ban on tabling.
Equipped with a megaphone, CSU VP Academic Ralph Lee incited the crowd to fight back against the administration’s ban on club tables in student space. “The administration is out of touch,” said Lee. “Skip your classes and show support for student groups and clubs.”
As CBC television crews recorded the events, the megaphone was passed to one student who began chanting “whose school?” to which the hundred or so protesters answered “our school!”
“I’m here to assert my rights to free speech and show solidarity with the student clubs,” Lee said. “Students will continue to use student space and the rector will not be allowed to act as a dictator.”
Students also protested by taping their mouths shut.
“We’re here to protest the moratorium,” said Charles Wagg, president of the Concordia Animal Rights Association. “I want to have a table for my association, but I can’t because of a bad decision on behalf of the administration.”
The same feelings were shared by the Quebec Public Interest Research Group (QPIRG) at Concordia. “It’s hard to do any kind of outreach when the main mode is being siphoned,” said QPIRG Co-ordinator Marcie Gibson. “There’s a general feeling that this is an issue of justice.”
“The students are saying this is our space: give it back,” said CSU President Sabine Friesinger.
By 1:40 p.m, the megaphone gave way to music as most of the protesters had left. The dozen clubs were still present, including the United States of America Students Association (USASA).
“I’m opposed to the administration’s moratorium because this is how we get ourselves known and get people to join, and also how we learn about other groups,” said Co-president Ann-Marie Brescio.
As the crowd thinned, the CSU’s VP Campaigns Aaron Mat
