The Media Accountability Project  

On March 12, 2025, CJPME media analyst Lynn Naji submitted a letter to the editor in response to an article published in The Ubyssey, a student-run journalism nonprofit titled “I have questions: UBC staffer speaks out after RCMP detained him while walking past Invictus Games wearing a keffiyeh.” The letter to the editor was published the following day, highlighting concerns over the racial and political profiling involved in the arbitrary detention of Nathan Herrington, a UBC staff member and alumnus, who was detained simply for wearing a keffiyeh—an act that should never warrant police intervention. The letter emphasized that Herrington’s detention was a clear violation of fundamental freedoms and part of a broader pattern of racial and political profiling.

Section 9 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms explicitly protects against arbitrary detention, yet this incident reflects an alarming trend where Palestinian solidarity is increasingly criminalized. This issue is not new—it is rooted in systemic flaws within law enforcement, where racialized individuals are disproportionately targeted under vague justifications of “suspicious behavior.” Black and Indigenous communities in Canada, for instance, have long been subjected to arbitrary detention and over-policing. Herrington’s detention follows the same troubling logic, where merely wearing a keffiyeh is deemed suspicious, mirroring the broader reality that racialized individuals are disproportionately stopped for simply existing in public spaces.

Moving forward, CJPME will prioritize deeper engagement with students, not only by monitoring the media but also by actively supporting racialized individuals and pro-Palestinian advocates to amplify their voices and ensure they are not unjustly targeted or silenced.

"In Le, a young racialised man was unlawfully detained in his own backyard, highlighting how the perception of criminality is often tied to race and identity rather than actual behavior. Herrington’s detention follows the same troubling logic — where wearing a keffiyeh is enough to warrant suspicion, mirroring the way racialised individuals are disproportionately stopped for simply existing in public spaces."

Israel is a settler colonial project built on an apartheid system and the suffering of Palestinians — whether Jew, Muslim, or Christian — to not see otherwise is a complete whitewashing of reality.

"Mr. Lofaro’s reporting is devoid of any pro-Palestinian or
Palestinian perspectives whether from SSMU, the McGill encampment or of any
Palestinian advocacy groups. It only features the viewpoints of pro-Israel groups without
offering a platform to pro-Palestinian advocates. This omission creates an imbalance and
fails to present the full scope of the issue, leaving readers with a limited understanding of
the situation."

"While you write that “keffiyehs have become somewhat of a political flashpoint in Ontario in recent weeks” and mention the debates at Queen’s Park and the motions to reverse the ban, you could have mentioned that MPP Sarah Jama was asked to remove her keffiyeh at Queen’s Park and that she defied the order to do it."

"Given that the article is about the encampments at American universities, it would make your article more balanced to describe the subject of their protests in their terms. At the minimum, Columbia University’s Gaza Solidarity Encampment's clearly stated demands should be reported at the beginning of the article."

"Gaza is being destroyed presently. And yet, protest signs are treated by the AP as more worthy of context than the ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza."

Earlier in the article, you write that Hamas broke through the “Israel-Gaza fence” on Oct. 7. Originally built by Israel in 1994, the tall, multi-layered fence surrounding the Strip has been widely viewed as an immobilizing measure that “brutally reinforced boundary that allows very few people in or out of the Strip.” This structure of separation should be referred to as Israel’s apartheid or separation wall.

Shortly after CJPME sent this letter alerting the journalist at The Coast of two factual errors in her recent article, she agreed to make all the requested edits. Prior to our letter, the article stated that Hamas broke through the “Israel-Gaza fence” on Oct. 7. The article has sense been updated to read “Israel-Gaza boundary” and links to an informative article CJPME referenced in the original letter, which explains why this boundary is referred to as an “apartheid wall.” Later in the article, the journalist had previously written that Israel’s attacks on Gaza have “left 22,000 dead.” Due to the inaccurate death toll and the passive language, the journalist agreed to change it to “…over 33,000 Palestinians killed.”

CJPME appreciates The Coast’s prompt response to our complaints.

It was refreshing to read an article that gave voice and space to U of O doctor, Dr. Yipeng Ge, and his thoughts on how the equation to antisemitism is a form of anti-Palestinian racism, as his case was heavily covered in the media.