When I said, what do you mean, he tried to play it off as that it would be "embarassing". I did see a large group (50 people or so) surround a different woman who'd gotten in and start chanting "all Zionists are evil". 6/x

In terms of posters, honestly, it was just a general melange of far left policy. There was a speaker who was at the Wet'suwet'en protest (long story, but "traditional leaders" vs. elected leaders of a Nation in BC on resource dev), a Congo flag, a climate sign, etc. 7/x

One (white) person explained to me it was a black & brown led group. I responded that visibly the protesters are fairly obviously overwhelmingly white people. I was told this was only because non-white people don't feel safe joining but that they all support it. 8/x

I talked to another protestor about how, safety-wise, surely they must understand that a giant "Honor to the Martyrs" poster is interpreted as pro-violence given how that term is used in the Gaza conflict. She insisted martyr and intifada aren't violent terms. 9/x

I asked "why protest here", esp. to folks who had no personal link to U of T. They said because U of T won't divest. I said U of T has no such investments other than index funds and the like, same as that owned by the Canada Pension Plan or Teacher's Pension or their parents 10/x

Response was always "we agree, everyone's complicit in genocide". At one point, group I was talking to argued that Kenya sending peacekeeping troops to Haiti was colonial violence. Given language, I suspect IMT played a role in organizing: 11/x

I discussed alternatives with some of the groups. Free speech, right to protest, Chicago principles: all great! But banning people who don't agree with you, by force, from a common space on campus, esp. when graduation for poor HS class of 2020 is next week, isn't speech. 12/x

The university response right now is basically "let it peter out". They have campus security in case a fight breaks out. But they're still complicit in allowing the "entry gate" - an older woman w/ a Marxist shirt claimed to be the "group liasion with the school". 13/x

I don't really get why we'd allow this. All have the right to protest! Free country. But letting a group of masked (non)students control entry to quad, letting them turn it into a campground with tents: you can just take down the tents and entry gate w/o touching anyone 14/x

That said, implicit threat that "it would be uncomfortable" for me if I didn't leave is also not great. They knew I was a professor, to be clear. Obviously no real danger - physically, protestors were more Trotsky than Stalin. But allowing entry gate permits this behavior. 15/x

Again, I'm not going to post my video. I didn't even take a phone out until a kid made an implicit threat. But I do think @UofT needs to understand what's actually happening, and the embarassing @utfaculty letter implying faculty support this needs to be retracted. 17/x

As in Ukraine, Yemen, Sudan & Burma, I hope we reach a peaceful solution soon in Gaza, that allows human flourishing. And I hope our students, Muslim & Jewish, can feel safe & productive on campus. But don't forget: purpose of the university is education, for all, equally. 18/18

(Oh, last thing: to make as clear as possible that this isn't a "student protest" and shouldn't be called as such, I am 40 and no one batted an eye about my age when I was there. Important to get this right @TorontoStar @globeandmail @CBCNews @RadioCanadaInfo @TheVarsity )

@TorontoStar @globeandmail @CBCNews @RadioCanadaInfo @TheVarsity (And, last last thing: Just want to be really clear that I didn't take a census. All I know directly is, majority I talked to weren't U of T affiliated. We also know that the protest was partly organized by USW. Beyond that, you'll have to do some journalism yourself!)

@Afinetheorem One doesn’t need to know the capital of Sudan to be concerned about or aware of the genocidal conflict in Sudan, Kev—-

@Afinetheorem There are so many assumptions here that you posit as facts from your 20 minute undercover "journalism" field trip; it's straight up embarrassing. What is it with you people who sneak in to film without permission and harrass these students protesting a genocide??

@Afinetheorem What other protest did you witness these young people flit from prior to this? I'm reading your thread and nodding with some of the things you say, but with each new post, it seems You've peppered in baseless claims like this. Care to discuss?

@Afinetheorem A mostly-young group but also there are outside agitators who are too old to be in school. Get your story straight

@Afinetheorem

@Afinetheorem First encampment that I’ve heard of here at UT, these kids aren’t flitting around.

@Afinetheorem "When they challenged my very screwed priorities, I engaged in some incredible whataboutism".

@Afinetheorem Oh, you mean *the other* Western-funded genocide? Yeah, also bad.

@Afinetheorem Is El Fasher an object of your activism or mentioned only for rhetorical effect? Aside from helping UK conquer Sudan circa 1900, is Canada funding, arming and providing diplomatic cover to parties in the conflict at a scale compatible to its support for Israel's genocide in Gaza?