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Violent protests erupt in Concordia’s Hall Building

Activists hold signs in the Hall Building as before pro-Palestine and pro-Israel gatherings turn violent. Photo by Emma Megelas/ The Concordian

Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protests broke out, requiring police intervention.

At around 12 p.m. on Wednesday, pro-Palestine and pro-Israel gatherings were held in the Hall building. The Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) were holding a keffiyeh sale to raise money for the humanitarian crisis in Palestine Jewish students from Hillel and Start-up Nation arrived soon after to their Shabbat dinner event “to honor and bring awareness to over 240 innocent civilians help captive by Hamas in Gaza.”

Both groups were unaware that they would simultaneously be tabling at the exact same time, as they planned their respective events. For context, SPHR had announced the keffiyeh sale on their Instagram account on Nov. 5. According to an Instagram post by Concordia’s Israeli club, the StartUp Nation, the table for the vigil for Israelis kidnapped by Hamas was booked on Nov. 3. The gatherings at Hall Building soon escalated into protests as members that were not a part of the Concordia community arrived on scene to support their respective groups.

Campus security took action and created a barrier between the two groups, only for about 20 SPVM officers to arrive and diffuse the situation. 

One witness, a Concordia student who wished to remain anonymous, said they saw the police officers create a barrier behind a pro-Israeli activist after they saw this person hit a pro-Palestinian activist with a sign.

The same witness also added that “when the police arrived on scene, they were pretty violent with the pro-Palestinian activists, one officer shoved many protestors and brandished a baton.”

“In my view,” the witness said, “the protest centred on calls for ceasefire and an end to apartheid—there was a statement from an [palestinian] organizer that denounced antisemitism and stated that the fight is with the state of Israel and not Jews.” 

Protesters were seen ripping flags, and throwing water bottles and punches. Two pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested and several other protesters from both sides were injured.

“I’d like it to be known that the protest was not one of hatred towards Jews, but a denouncement of the crimes of the Israeli state,” the witness said about the pro-Palestinian protest. “I believe that is an incredibly important distinction to make.”

Following the events, SPHR released a statement yesterday morning saying “they would like to remind everyone that we, the students, will NOT allow this to deter us from our continued advocacy for the freedom of the Palestinian people.” 

More to come on this developing story.

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Sports

Hockey in brief

Concordia played to a 7-2 win against Carleton on Friday night before losing 5-3 to the Ottawa Gee Gees on Saturday afternoon. Concordia now sits at 9-9 in the middle of the pack of the OUA’s East Division.

Concordia found itself trailing 1-0 after the first period on Friday night, but exploded for four goals in the second period. Two of the second period goals came from the stick of George Lovatsis, including one shorthanded goal that swung the momentum of the game. Lovatsis completed the hat trick in the third period. He now leads the country in goals with 15 and trails only Mike Stinziani for the team lead in points. Nicholas Champion stopped 36 of 38 shots in the victory.

After the blowout win over Carleton, the Stingers came out flat the next afternoon.

They were outshot 15-3 in the first period and as a result, found themselves down 3-0 after the game’s first 20 minutes.

Concordia woke up in the second period, outshooting Ottawa 15-13, but it was the Gee Gees who scored the only goal of the period, taking a 4-0 lead.

The Stingers, possessing the CIS’ second best offence, broke through and made a game of things in the third period.

Lovatsis scored his fourth goal of the weekend just over two minutes into the final period. Dominic Martel cut the Ottawa lead in half at the 7:28 mark and Charles-Antoine Messier brought the Stingers within one goal exactly one minute later.

Unfortunately for Concordia, the comeback was just not meant to be. Matt White scored for Ottawa into Concordia’s empty net in the game’s final minute.

While Concordia would have loved to head into the break on a winning note, the team has accomplished a lot in the first part of the season. They are one of the best teams in the country offensively, but they are also one of the worst teams defensively.

If Concordia can tighten up play in its own end and continue to get solid goaltending, this will be a team no one will be anxious to face come playoff time.

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Sports

Sports Briefs

Men’s rugby

Concordia 13 Bishop’s 10

A second half comeback propelled the underdog Stingers into the RSEQ finals.
After a disappointing 1-4-1 season, the Stingers were playing on the road as the underdog against the Bishop’s Gaiters, with a trip to the conference championship on the line.
Bishop’s scored the lone try of the first half and put the Stingers in a hole early in the game.
Concordia’s Adriano D’Angelo converted a penalty late in the half, though, sending the Stingers into the break only trailing by two.
Concordia pulled ahead in the second half on the shoulders of full back Alex Ritchie. Ritchie took a pass 10 yards from the Bishop’s try area and muscled through the Gaiters’ defence to give Concordia the lead.
D’Angelo added another penalty score in the 79th minute to give Concordia a 13-5 lead. The penalty proved crucial, as Bishop’s scored a try just before the final whistle. It was too little too late, though, and Concordia came away victorious.
Concordia will be an even bigger underdog next week when they face the unbeaten McGill Redmen in the RSEQ finals. McGill beat Concordia in both of the teams’ meetings this season.
The game will be on Saturday at 1 p.m. at McGill’s Percival Molson Stadium.

Women’s hockey

Concordia 5 Montréal 4 (SO)

After scoring four goals in the second period, and jumping out to a 4-0 lead, the Concordia Stingers women’s hockey team decided to make the game interesting.
The Stingers staked the Univeristé de Montréal Carabins consecutive power plays midway through the second period. The Carabins took advantage both times and cut the Stingers’ lead in half.
With only 2:54 remaining in the second, Kim Deschênes scored for Montréal, sending the teams into intermission battling in a one-goal game.
Montréal completed the comeback scoring with under two minutes remaining in the game.
Having blown such a large lead and losing any momentum it would have been easy for the Stingers to fold in overtime. The Stingers, though, did not allow Montreal a single shot in the extra period and sent the game into a shoot-out.
Concordia goalie Marie-Pier Rémillard, after stopping 34 of 38 shots in the game, stonewalled the Carabins in the shoot-out, stopping all four skaters she faced.
Audrey Gariepy and Véronique Laramée-Paquette score in the shoot-out for Concordia to secure the team’s second win of the season.

Women’s soccer

Sherbrooke 4 Concordia 0
McGill 3 Concordia 0

A tough season came to an even tougher end for the Concordia women’s soccer team.
After a 5-0 win last week against the lowly Bishop’s Gaiters, the Stingers were blown out in their last two appearances on the pitch this season.
Concordia finished second to last in the RSEQ this season with a 2-9-3 record. Jennifer Duff led the team in scoring this season with four goals.

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Sports

Sports briefs

Men’s hockey
Concordia 3 McGill 2 (OT)

After a 3-2 shootout loss to UQTR on Wednesday, the Concordia Stingers got back on track with a huge win against defending CIS national champion McGill.
The Redmen came in to the game ranked second in the CIS, and boasted a 10 game winning streak against the Stingers.
Concordia’s Mike Stinziani took a tripping penalty just 1:22 into the game. McGill’s potent capitalized just 23 seconds into the man advantage and put Concordia in a hole early.
Kyle Armstrong answered for the Stingers just over five minutes later and the game remained tied until late in the second period.
With the clock ticking down on the second frame George Lovatsis gave Concordia a huge boost, scoring with just 13 seconds left in the period, giving the team momentum into intermission.
Despite a stellar play by Stinger goalie Nicholas Champion, McGill tied the game just four minutes into the third.
With the Stingers looking for a hero it was Alexis Piette who answered the call. Piette scored the winning goal halfway through overtime to hand McGill their second defeat in a row.
Champion was outstanding again for Concordia and his .930 save percentage is the third best in the CIS.
The Stingers will face the Redmen again this Friday at 7 p.m. at McGill.

Women’s hockey
Carleton 4 Concordia 2

Concordia lost their second game in a row to the Carleton Ravens, falling 4-2 on the road this weekend.
Down 3-0 late in the second period, Alyssa Sherrard and Catherine Rancourt scored within 30 seconds of each other to bring Concordia back in striking distance.
The Stingers just couldn’t beat Carleton goalie Victoria Powers in the third period, and as a result suffered their third loss of the season.
Concordia’s next game is Friday night at Université de Montréal.

Women’s soccer
Concordia 0 UQAM 0
Concordia 5 Bishop’s 0

The Concordia soccer team enjoyed their most successful weekend of the season playing to a draw and picking up a win against both UQAM and Bishop’s.
Concordia tied UQAM 0-0 on Friday night, with goalkeeper Brittany O’Rourke posting her second clean sheet of the season.
On Saturday, a Stingers team that had only scored nine goals all season exploded offensively. The Stingers thrashed the Bishop’s Gaiters 5-0, picking up their second win of the year. Emily Hubbard recorded a goal and an assist for Concordia.
The Stingers at 2-7-3 are eliminated from playoff contention and will play their remaining two games next week against Sherbrooke on the road, and finishing at home on Sunday, Oct. 30 against McGill.

Men’s soccer
UQAM 1 Concordia 0

Concordia’s nightmarish season continued Friday night against UQAM. The Stingers lost their sixth game in a row, falling 1-0 to UQAM.
Concordia has been outscored 17-1 in the six-game span and hasn’t scored a goal in a month, since a Sept. 23, 3-1 loss to Montreal.
Concordia sits in dead last in the RSEQ conference and is awaiting their season to draw to its merciful conclusion next week on the road against Sherbrooke on Friday, before playing their season finale at home to McGill on Sunday.

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