Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights
{{Short description|Canadian pro-Palestine student advocacy group}}
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Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) is a non-profit, student-based organization based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is involved in organizing protests against the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
History
SPHR was established in 1999 as a result of a merger between two student organizations based at Concordia University and McGill University in Montreal; the Concordia Centre for Palestinian Human Rights (CCPHR) and the McGill Palestinian Solidarity Committee (PSC).{{citation needed|date=December 2023}} The SPHR gained a wider profile after organizing a protest in Concordia University, that forced the Israeli ex-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cancel a speech that was to take place on 9 September 2002.{{cite web|url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20030115/concordia030115?s_name=&no_ads=|title=Concordia U. regrets anti-Netanyahu riot|author=Canadian Press|date=January 15, 2003|publisher=CTV.ca|access-date=2008-05-16|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080601103256/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20030115/concordia030115?s_name=&no_ads=|archive-date=June 1, 2008}} Rama Al-Malah serves as its spokesperson.{{cite news |last1=Rowe |first1=Daniel J. |title=Montreal police arrest 15, disperse McGill pro-Palestinian protesters with pepper spray |url=https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/pro-palestinian-supporters-occupy-mcgill-university-administration-building-1.6916721 |access-date=17 June 2024 |work=Montreal |date=6 June 2024 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Lalonde |first1=Michelle |title=Police spray tear gas, break up pro-Palestinian occupation of McGill building |url=https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/updated-police-spray-tear-gas-break-up-pro-palestinian-occupation-of-mcgill-building |access-date=17 June 2024 |publisher=Montreal Gazette |date=6 June 2024}} In 2009, the organization publicly threatened civil disobedience and unrest in response to the Canada Border Services agency barring then British MP George Galloway from entry into Canada.{{Cite news |date=2009-03-22 |title=Organizers seek to overturn ban against British anti-war MP |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2009/03/22/organizers_seek_to_overturn_ban_against_british_antiwar_mp.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210928133150/https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2009/03/22/organizers_seek_to_overturn_ban_against_british_antiwar_mp.html |archive-date=2021-09-28 |access-date=2021-09-28 |work=The Toronto Star |language=en-CA |issn=0319-0781}}
The groups have sponsored anti-Israel rallies on many campuses, especially since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. McGill University criticized its branch of the SPHR for encouraging celebration of the attack.{{Cite news |author=Morgan Lowrie |agency=The Canadian Press |date=2023-10-13 |title=Canadian universities face challenges navigating Israel-Hamas war |language=en |work=The Hamilton Spectator |url=https://www.thespec.com/news/canada/canadian-universities-face-challenges-navigating-israel-hamas-war/article_255fa5f2-b1bc-5692-af25-517edb46e24d.html |access-date=2023-11-02 |issn=1189-9417 |archive-date=2023-11-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231102204605/https://www.thespec.com/news/canada/canadian-universities-face-challenges-navigating-israel-hamas-war/article_255fa5f2-b1bc-5692-af25-517edb46e24d.html |url-status=live }} It responded by saying that its social media posts were "looking at the prospect of liberation" rather than celebrating violence.{{Cite news |author=Morgan Lowrie |agency=The Canadian Press |date=2023-10-13 |title=Canadian universities face challenges navigating Israel-Hamas war |language=en |work=The Hamilton Spectator |url=https://www.thespec.com/news/canada/canadian-universities-face-challenges-navigating-israel-hamas-war/article_255fa5f2-b1bc-5692-af25-517edb46e24d.html |access-date=2023-11-02 |issn=1189-9417 |archive-date=2023-11-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231102204605/https://www.thespec.com/news/canada/canadian-universities-face-challenges-navigating-israel-hamas-war/article_255fa5f2-b1bc-5692-af25-517edb46e24d.html |url-status=live }}
In June 2024, the group announced on Instagram that it will be hosting a "revolutionary youth summer program" at McGill University's lower field that includes "physical activity, Arabic language instruction, cultural crafts, political discussions, historical and revolutionary lessons".{{cite web |title=McGill encampment to host anti-Israel 'revolutionary youth summer program' |url=https://nationalpost.com/news/anti-israel-summer-program-mcgill-university-encampment |website=National Post |access-date=14 June 2024 |date=14 June 2024}}{{cite web |last1=MacDiarmid |first1=Campbell |title=Pro-Palestinian Canadian students' post for 'teach-in' features masked guerrillas |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jun/14/pro-palestinian-canadian-students-youth-summer-program-antisemitism |website=The Guardian |date=14 June 2024}} The post, featuring gunmen wearing keffiyeh, drew criticism from Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs and B'nai Brith Canada, and was called "extremely alarming" by the university president Deep Saini.{{cite news |last1=Greig |first1=Kelly |title=McGill concerned about 'extremely alarming' poster for summer camp at pro-Palestinian encampment |url=https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/mcgill-concerned-about-extremely-alarming-poster-for-summer-camp-at-pro-palestinian-encampment-1.6927587 |access-date=14 June 2024 |work=Montreal |date=14 June 2024 |language=en}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.sphr.org SPHR]
- [http://concordia.sphr.org SPHR Concordia Chapter]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120306161219/http://www.sphrryerson.ca/ SPHR Ryerson Chapter]
Category:Student organizations in Canada
Category:Organizations involved in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict