The University of Waterloo has filed a lawsuit against its students seeking $1.5m in damages

The University of Waterloo in Canada has filed a lawsuit against its students for continuing its pro-Palestine encampment urging the university to disclose and divest from Israel.

According to reports in the Canadian press, administrators were suing the encampment for $1.5m in damages including “trespass[ing], damage to property, intimidation and ejectment”.

The university alleges the student encampment has damaged the school’s reputation, driven up administrative and operational costs for the university and depreciated the university’s property values.

In statement released by organisers of the encampment, Occupy UWaterloo, the student group said it was “incredibly shameful” that the university adminstration had decided “to sue their own student body that’s protesting the university’s complicity in a genocide that’s almost nine months in and has claimed the lives of over 40,000”.

    • Jtee@lemmy.world
      111·
      6 months ago

      Quick google search returned:

      A group of about 100 protesters gathered outside the University of Waterloo during a senate meeting Monday demanding the school boycott and divest from all institutions supporting Israel in the midst of the ongoing war.

      So it sounds like UW is still supporting groups who are supporting the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

      • Eheran@lemmy.world
        47·
        6 months ago

        So they might have year long projects with universities in Israel = they are complicit in genocide?

        • Jerkface (any/all)English
          72·
          6 months ago

          Being okay with genocide as long as you have other interests you don’t wish to risk by taking a stand against it is kinda basically “complicit”, isn’t it?

          • Eheran@lemmy.world
            43·
            6 months ago

            No, that is not what complicit means.

            Using the same logic: You pay taxes? Complicit in everything that happens with those. From good to bad. Not stopping cars on the road? Complicit in stealing buses etc. their customers. And of course also complicit in road kills.