Saturday, May 23, 2026
ADVT 
National

Eby deplores 'most hateful' speech praising Hamas attack, as UBC protest camp begins

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 29 Apr, 2024 03:21 PM
  • Eby deplores 'most hateful' speech praising Hamas attack, as UBC protest camp begins

Charlotte Kates of the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network told the rally outside the Vancouver Art Gallery on Friday that the attack was "heroic and brave." 

Eby said the comments about the attack, that killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were "the most hateful" he could imagine.

"Celebrating the murder, the rape of innocent people attending a music festival, it's awful," Eby said at an unrelated news conference on Monday. 

"It's reprehensible, and it shouldn't take place in British Columbia. There is clearly an element of some individuals using an international tragedy to promote hate that's completely unacceptable."

Kates and Samidoun did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Eby also remarked on an encampment by pro-Palestinian protesters that began at the University of B.C. on Monday. 

Similar camps have appeared on campuses across the United States, as well as at McGill University in Montreal and the University of Ottawa.

At McGill, activists have set up dozens of tents. The university said Monday morning it had seen video evidence of some protesters using "unequivocally antisemitic language and intimidating behaviour" during the protest.

The UBC camp included about 20 tents on MacInnes Field by noon Monday.

Eby said a university campus, while a protected space for free speech, should foster a safe space for students of all backgrounds, especially for Jewish students during a time they feel "particularly alone on campuses and need additional support to feel safe."

"I have no reason to doubt that the leadership, both student and administration, at UBC will find that balance between ensuring students are safe and making sure that atmosphere of free exchange of ideas can continue to take place on campus."

In a series of messages posted on social media platform X, UBC protest organizers have asked supporters to bring tents and sandbags, as well as food, water, first aid and generators.

Naisha Khan, a spokeswoman for the protest camp, said tents started going up at 5 a.m. Monday, with attendees from UBC, Simon Fraser University and Emily Carr University of Art and Design.

Khan said they wouldn't leave until UBC supported the Palestinian right to "resistance," and the right of return to what is now Israel.

In a written response, UBC spokesman Matthew Ramsey said the school is monitoring the situation and keeping in contact with the RCMP.

Protests must "be taken with respect for others and within the boundaries of university policy and the law," he said.

"We also remind everyone that hate and intolerance have no place at UBC," Ramsey said. "The university must be a place of reasoned debate where conflicting views can peacefully coexist."

Before Eby, the Vancouver Art Gallery rally had drawn condemnation from Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim, who called it a "celebration of terrorism and antisemitism."

Sim said in a post on X on Sunday that people who "spew this vile hatred" were not welcome in the city.

Liberal member for Vancouver Granville Taleeb Noormohamed said on X that "glorifying Oct. 7 is unacceptable" and "does nothing to promote peace," while B.C. Opposition Leader Kevin Falcon called the speech a "celebration of the heinous murder of Jews."

MORE National ARTICLES

Man punches 2 women

Man punches 2 women
A 32-year-old man has been arrested after a series of random assaults in West Vancouver yesterday. West Vancouver Police say officers responded to reports of a man aboard a transit bus punching two senior woman in their heads before repeatedly punching the driver.  

Man punches 2 women

Most Canadians view about Online News Act is news should be free, survey suggests

Most Canadians view about Online News Act is news should be free, survey suggests
The law, which comes into effect later this year, will force digital giants such as Google to compensate media outlets for content that is shared or otherwise repurposed on their platforms. About three out of every four respondents said they were aware of the Online News Act, formerly known as Bill C-18, with 34 per cent of respondents saying the law is a good thing to help media outlets that compete for advertising dollars with tech giants.  

Most Canadians view about Online News Act is news should be free, survey suggests

Canada on track to meet, exceed methane emission reduction goal by 2030: Trudeau

Canada on track to meet, exceed methane emission reduction goal by 2030: Trudeau
Canada is on track to hit and even surpass targets for reducing oilpatch methane emissions, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday, as the UN sought to hold leaders to account for their climate commitments. Draft regulations that are due before the end of the year will allow Canada to meet or even exceed its goal of slashing methane from the oil and gas sector by 75 per cent from 2012 levels by 2030.

Canada on track to meet, exceed methane emission reduction goal by 2030: Trudeau

Poilievre introduces housing bill, plan focuses on getting cities to build more homes

Poilievre introduces housing bill, plan focuses on getting cities to build more homes
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has introduced a private member's bill in the House of Commons that outlines a plan to address the national housing crisis.  The bill, which is unlikely to pass, centres around using federal infrastructure and transit spending to push cities to build more homes.  

Poilievre introduces housing bill, plan focuses on getting cities to build more homes

Vancouver police boost security at Indian Consulate since Trudeau remarks on killing

Vancouver police boost security at Indian Consulate since Trudeau remarks on killing
Const. Tania Visintin, the department's media relations officer, says police are "closely monitoring the situation" since Trudeau's announcement about the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a vocal supporter of an independent Sikh homeland, who was shot dead in Surrey in June. She says Vancouver police aren't aware of any specific threats to Indian consular officials, but have increased police presence at the downtown Vancouver consulate.   

Vancouver police boost security at Indian Consulate since Trudeau remarks on killing

Four firefighters heading home die in vehicle crash on B.C. road: government

Four firefighters heading home die in vehicle crash on B.C. road: government
Four firefighters travelling home after battling British Columbia's wildfires have died in a road crash. Premier David Eby and Forests Minister Bruce Ralston say in a joint statement the firefighters died in a motor vehicle accident near Cache Creek in the B.C. Interior.

Four firefighters heading home die in vehicle crash on B.C. road: government