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#FreePalestine #Protest #FreedomofExpression #BCPoli #CanPoli #CdnPoli #Indigenous #Police #RCMP

Vancouver Island University, my employer, is now threatening to remove the encampment and have people arrested. I'm absolutely sick.

I had corresponded with our President on May 1. I sent this to our Chancellor, Chair and President.

Dear Chancellor Sayers, Chair Anderson, and President Saucier,

I am extremely concerned by the escalatory words and actions of VIU today given the encampment’s peaceful and respectful nature and disposition to date. The President has stated to me in her response quoted below on May 1 "that VIU’s approach to the encampment is based on respect and peace for protest and freedom of expression.”

The locking of all campus buildings today and the very clear threat by VIU Security (see attached noticed link) to have peace officers remove tents and equipment under the Trespass Act under threat of arrest is completely contradictory to the President’s statement and is exactly the approach that I flagged to the President as being extremely dangerous and likely to result in harm to the protesters and deep embarrassment to the University itself. There are peaceful ways to do this.

As an institution that is supposed to be fully immersed in the spirit and action of Truth and Reconciliation, I find these statements and actions to be horrendously contradictory, misguided, colonial, and dangerous.

As an individual employee, VIUFA faculty member, and member of this community on Snuneymuxw, Coast Salish and Nuuchanulth lands I am embarrassed, and I beg the University to reconsider and reverse its actions.

Sincerely,
Chris Alemany
@davidakin @pennydaflos

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