Amnesty granted to those involved in U of T protest

University promised no sanctions if camp cleared peacefully

- MARCO CHOWN OVED AND JIM RANKIN

The University of Toronto quietly granted amnesty to the pro-Palestinian protesters who set up camp for over two months on campus in exchange for a peaceful end to the occupation, the Star has learned.

A two-page agreement, signed by Sandy Welsh, vice-provost of students, and Kelly Hannah-Moffat, vice-president of people strategy, equity and culture, as well as four representatives of the protesters, promises that no one will face legal or academic sanctions for the protest. The agreement is dated 2:30 p.m. on July 3, hours before the court-imposed deadline to evacuate the camp.

Asked about the deal, protest organizers confirmed that they approached the university asking for a guarantee of amnesty before they agreed to leave.

“We succeeded in our efforts to negotiate a last-minute amnesty deal for all encampment participants, including students, faculty and staff,” read an emailed statement from protest organizers. “It was critically important for us to do everything in our power to protect our community and this movement. With this deal, we have guaranteed that students and faculty can continue to fight for these demands at the University of Toronto without repercussions from a punitive and carceral university administration.”