People look towards a student encampment for Pro-Palestinian protesters is shown at the University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver on April 30.The president of the University of British Columbia says its endowment fund doesn’t directly own any stocks that are the target of divestment demands by pro-Palestinian protesters who have set up an encampment on the Vancouver campus.
He says in a message posted online that the university would welcome a “respectful and robust discussion” with its students about the investments. He says UBC values peaceful protest but anyone expressing views about the “violence unfolding in Israel and Palestine” needs to be “exceptionally careful” how they convey their thoughts.
Protesters say they want UBC to divest from Israeli companies they say are complicit in “oppression and genocide” of Palestinians. They also want an academic boycott of Israeli universities and other institutions.