UC Students and the public gather for the BDS rally

Palestine flag being held up at the BDS rally. Source: Canta / Hariklia Nicola. 

A BDS rally in support of boycotts, divestment, and sanctions was held at the University of Canterbury, on Friday.  

The rally, which had been promoted across social media and through posters, particularly by the Students for Justice in Palestine group (SJP), is one of a series of protests and encampments at the university over the last few months.  

Beginning at 1pm, the rally saw students and the public meet on C-Block lawn, the gathering featuring speeches from Greens MP Kahurangi Carter, former OUSA President Francisco Hernandez, Environment Canterbury Regional Councillor Grey Byrnes, and City Councillor Tyla Harrison-Hunt.  

“The speakers expressed their full support of the students’ efforts to promote BDS as an initial step for the university,” said G.R, an attendee of the rally. 

During his speaking opportunity, Harrison-Hunt commented that “[t]he system isn’t broken. It’s made for the people who created it.”  

Byrnes also stated that “[m]orals are something that is private, but decency is public.” 

Signage and banners were held up during the rally, with one reading ‘Boycott Israel’, and the other ‘UC Students Don’t Want Ties To Genocide.” 

A banner that reads ‘Boycott Israel’. Source: Canta / Hariklia Nicola. 

Source: Canta / Hariklia Nicola.  

During this gathering, a petition was presented which had been advocated for since May, where those in attendance could sign the hundred-metre-long scroll with their initials, supporting BDS at UC, and Palestinian liberation. 

100 m long scroll being held by rally attendees. Source: Canta / Hariklia Nicola.  

This was then unrolled and spread across the full perimeter of the space between Puaka-James Hight building and the Matariki building. After being marched around campus, the scroll was presented to administration at UC. 

1057 people signed the scroll, including students, staff, and alumni. 

Source: Canta / Hariklia Nicola.  

“We’re happy to say that we had a really great rally on campus on Friday in support of boycotts, divestment, and sanctions at UC. We’re part of the ongoing student movement in Aotearoa and worldwide to take ownership of our campuses to support Palestinian liberation,” SJP said.  

“That’s why SJP is calling on students to ask their faculty to vote yes and calling on students to take pressure to UCSA to use its voice on the Board to push for the BDS motion.”

This is in relation to a motion that was considered on Friday August 9, to investigate and implement boycotts and divestment at UC.