Students mobilize a protest in the TFDL quad at UCalgary
By Mia Gilje, Daman Singh, March 28 2025—
On Mar. 19, the Palestine Advocacy Club (PAC) hosted an emergency protest, the first public demonstration from the group since last semester.
Many different speakers stood up to share their thoughts on the current state of Palestinian advocacy within the University of Calgary. They claimed that they “never should have stopped” their fight against the occupation in Gaza, expressing that even during a ceasefire Palestinians were still in need of the support of international allies.
The Executive Director of Palestine Advocacy Club told the Gauntlet that this protest was a response to the ceasefire in Gaza being broken on Mar. 18 as the group found the actions to be distasteful.
“It’s been going on for two years now, right? Almost two years and the fact that Israel, despite breaking every international law has been claiming to be saving the hostages— claiming to doing all these things but all of a sudden, it breaks the ceasefire agreement,” he said.
The group has reinstated their original demands for the University of Calgary to disclose and divest.
“We’ve always been open to speaking with the administration”, he said. “However, we don’t see that good faith actor within the administration.” Unfortunately, they don’t seem to want to engage.”
As well, the speakers specifically called out the University of Calgary’s President, Ed McCauley, engaging the crowd in a chant that repeatedly asked, “How many kids did you kill today?”
Vice Provost Student Experience, Verity Turpin, interviewed with the Gauntlet to speak about the protest as she was in attendance. She elaborated on how her position works to foster relationships with student leaders and working with student discourse on campus.
“My role as vice provost student experience is to have those relationships and that ongoing conversation on behalf of our president and our provost with students It’s so important to the university”, Turpin stated. “I meet regularly with student leaders who present varying points of view and varying perspectives.”
When asked if Turpin maintained relationships with groups like the Muslim Students Association (MSA) and PAC, she said she has met regularly with MSA — but not PAC.
Turpin went on to explain how the University sees civil discourse moving on campus amidst growing global tensions.
“The university strongly supports the right for students to protest and for freedom of expression— It’s the way information is shared, which is what the event [on Mar. 19] was about. Sharing information and perspectives and they did that in a wonderful way on campus to raise awareness on the issue that they were trying to raise”, Turpin continued.
The protestors then began rallying— leaving their original gathering spot in the TFDL quad and making their way through the campus. Passing Hunter Student Commons, the Administration building, Engineering and finally looping back to the TFDL quad bringing the protest to an end with a prayer.
The Executive Director of PAC noted that they are mobilizing the students again.
“What we’re doing here is basically mobilizing the students once again, showing the administration that the Palestinian cause is still alive on campus, it continues to be alive,” he said.
More can be found about Palestinian Advocacy Club on their instagram.