The president of the University of British Columbia has told pro-Palestinian protesters that the school must remain neutral on the Gaza conflict.
Benoit-Antoine Bacon says in response to demands by the organizers of a protest encampment on the Vancouver campus that professors and students hold a broad range of opinions and the university can香蕉视频直播檛 香蕉视频直播減resume to speak for everyone.香蕉视频直播�
Bacon says if the university took a position, it would undermine the rights of people who hold different views to express themselves.
He says the university isn香蕉视频直播檛 engaging in 香蕉视频直播渕oral relativism,香蕉视频直播� and it hopes for a ceasefire and a lasting peace in the Middle East.
A handwritten set of the protesters香蕉视频直播� demands shared by Bacon says they want UBC to 香蕉视频直播渃ondemn and demand an end香蕉视频直播� to what they call 香蕉视频直播渢he genocide in Gaza.香蕉视频直播�
Other demands include the university divesting from companies associated with Israel and its actions in Gaza, a boycott of Israeli institutions, a ban on the RCMP on campus, and an affirmation of 香蕉视频直播淧alestinians香蕉视频直播� right to resist.香蕉视频直播�
Bacon says that UBC is willing to engage on divestment, but its endowment fund does not directly own stocks in companies identified by the movement.
On the matter of a boycott, he says the university respects faculty members who want to engage in academic partnerships.
He says UBC has been 香蕉视频直播渕easured and restrained香蕉视频直播� on the issue of police at protests, and he wants to 香蕉视频直播渂etter understand香蕉视频直播� the demand about affirming Palestinian rights.
Dozens of tents have been pitched at the university香蕉视频直播檚 MacInnes Field since April 29 when the protest encampment began.
It is among encampments at multiple universities across Canada and elsewhere protesting the actions of Israel in the Gaza conflict.
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