A number of students at the University of British Columbia have gone on strike, demanding that their alma mater divest from Israel and companies they've deemed to be "complicit" in the ongoing war against Hamas.
The two-day strike began Monday morning, and has thus far featured a march around the bus loop, guest speakers, and an education station where curious passersby can hear about the protestors' points of view.
"If we don't get it, shut it down!" students chanted as they circled the university's main transportation hub. Buses were still able to get through to pick up passengers, though they were heavily disrupted.
Other chants included "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," "Free Palestine," and "We will honour all our martyrs."
Many attendees held signs condemning UBC for investing in Israeli universities and companies involved in war. One banner read "Israel is a death cult and a terrisist [sic]. Liberation is near."
A total of 30 companies were targeted by the protestors, including Motorola, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, General Electric, and Caterpillar.
The strike was supported by UBC's student union, the Alma Mater Society, which acts independently from the university itself. They held a referendum on March 18, in which over three quarters of the 11,365 voters — 18.9% of the student population — said the AMS should endorse the event.
UBC was quick to distance itself from the strike, making it clear that the move was "not sanctioned by the university," but "the result of a referendum vote held by the AMS, which is an independent body with its own governance structure."
"We recognize that the conflict and violence in Israel, Gaza and neighbouring regions is an issue of deep concern for many in our community," UBC Provost and VP, Academic Gage Averill wrote in a statement.
"UBC is committed to upholding the rights to freedom of expression and fostering an environment where diverse viewpoints can co-exist peacefully and productively — an essential foundation for our academic and societal missions — while ensuring the safety, and security, and respectful interactions of our students, faculty and staff."
Averill emphasized that "protest actions must remain peaceful, respectful, and within the boundaries of UBC policies and the law," and noted that "faculty are free to schedule their classes, assessments and learning activities as needed."
Elsewhere on the UBC campus, it was business as usual. Outside the Nest, people took part in the annual "Storm the Wall" event, while the vast majority of students attended their scheduled classes.
