"You don’t mention that McGill students were participating in a Walkout protest sponsored by McGill’s Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights. To fail to provide this context is an alarming oversight and it should be promptly added to your article if you hope to meet standards of fairness."
To:
Marilena Lucci, Editor, Montreal Gazette
Dear Ms.Lucci,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East to express concerns about the article titled: “McGill, Quebec politicians denounce 'unacceptable' vandalism on campus” published on September 2, 2024.
Your article unfortunately fixates on a minor act of vandalism—specifically, the removal of a few strips of grass by pro-Palestine protestors at McGill University—while neglecting to provide essential context about the motivations behind their demonstration. This act of vandalism is part of a larger movement of resistance against Israel’s brutal occupation of the Palestinian territories and the ongoing genocide in Gaza, which has been persisting for the past 11 months.
On an even more basic level, you don’t mention that McGill students were participating in a Walkout protest sponsored by McGill’s Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights. To fail to provide this context is an alarming oversight and it should be promptly added to your article if you hope to meet standards of fairness.
Over the past year, grassroots movements, particularly students, have been advocating for their university to divest from companies complicit in the genocide in Gaza. These students are exercising their rights to peaceful assembly and free speech to challenge Canada and McGill University’s complicity in human rights violations against Palestinians. I am afraid this critical context is also glaringly absent from your article.
If you couldn’t manage to interview a student protester, a brief mention of the protestors' principled stance against Israel’s occupation and McGill’s financial support of Israel would provide a more balanced and accurate portrayal of the protest. For instance, referencing Students for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) at McGill, who have clearly stated their demand for the university’s “full divestment from occupation and genocide,” would enhance the article's fairness.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this important issue. I trust you will address these concerns to present a more balanced and truthful account of the protest and its critical context.
Sincerely,
Lynn Naji
Junior Analyst, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East