MONTREAL/August 30, 2001—
There are two issues involving Concordia University that have generated some media coverage and public discussion in the last few days. It is important to understand that they are two separate issues.
Early this summer, the Concordia branch of Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) made a request to the university to use the green space on the corner of de Maisonneuve Blvd. and Guy St. to hold a ìbazaar and rallyî on September 15. Later, the bazaar and rally were proposed as two separate events. However, the university considers that the two events are intrinsically linked and will draw a potential attendance that far surpasses the capacity of the site.
The lot in question has a maximum capacity of 2,700 people; the SPHR had indicated that it was expecting between 15,000 and 20,000 participants. The university expressed serious concerns about the potential for overcrowding, possible disruption and confrontation at the three proposed events. We also informed the SPHR that adequate guarantees for the security and safety of participants, bystanders or the public could not be ensured. For these reasons, the requested university space is still not considered an appropriate venue for any of these events.
Let me reiterate that the decision is not related to the theme or message that the organizers put forward. Our concerns would be the same if any event of this magnitude were proposed for this space.
Unfortunately, without securing the proper agreement from the university, the SPHR extended invitations to various groups to participate and advertised the event widely.
The second issue has to do with the banning from campus of two people who serve on the Concordia Student Union (CSU) Council and executive. This banning is the result of a confrontation with campus security during which a death threat was uttered and two security guards were slightly injured. Although precipitated by a graffiti incident, neither the act of spraying graffiti on university property, while reprehensible, nor the content of the slogans written, were the reasons for the banning. Furthermore, the individuals were not singled out because of their political views or CSU affiliation.
The individuals involved in the assault were not students at the time of the incident and are not currently students. Neither the UniversityÇs Code of Rights and Responsibilities, which governs issues of behaviour on campus for students, faculty and staff, nor the UniversityÇs Code of Conduct, which applies to academic issues involving students, such as cheating, applies in this case.
Concordia University has learned, through sometimes-tragic experience, that violence, in any form, cannot and will not be tolerated on campus.
Dennis Murphy, Executive Director, Communications
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