On Thursday, August 8th, students from Occupy U of T, Palestinian Youth Movement, Jews Say No To Genocide, and more, held a sit-in on the lobby of the University of Toronto’s Asset Management Corporation office at 777 Bay Street. The students were protesting their tuition money being reinvested in weapons manufacturing companies that sell to the Israeli military.
Students occupy UTAM
The students went into the building and held a sit-in without blocking exits or access to the elevator.
“Our goal was to chant and draw attention to UTAM’s role in perpetuating these injustices,” says Sara Rasikh, a graduate student at the University of Toronto and representative of Occupy U of T. The students’ core demands remain the same as with the People’s Circle for Palestine: Disclose, Divest, and Cut Ties.
According to onlookers, several office workers showed their solidarity with the students and even joined in the chanting. When property managers threatened the students with a trespass notice, various office workers sent emails supporting their right to protest.
The Toronto Police intervene
Once the police were called, the Toronto Police Service (TPS) went into the building and verbally informed the students that they had been given a trespass notice. They then pushed the students to the doors, shoving many of them to the ground in the process. Female protestors revealed experiencing sexual assault during the process of removal while others were trampled or hit their heads on the ground after being shoved. Students report that they were not given a chance to exit the building safely.
After expelling the students from the building, the police formed a line and blocked both students and office workers from making their way inside. Outside, they continued shoving students away and threatening to arrest them.
“The response from the police was extremely violent and forceful, and no physical trespass notice was issued or documented,” says Rasikh. “This aggressive intervention highlighted the urgent need for continued activism and accountability.”
UTAM Finances
UTAM is the University of Toronto’s investment manager. According to an annual report for 2023, the university is currently partnering with companies like Lockheed Martin. On their “Current Investing Managers” website, they display Blackstone, Arrowstreet Capital, Marshall Wace, and Two Sigma. A coalition of University of Toronto students published a report connecting many of these asset managers to companies that are profiting from the genocide in Gaza and settlements in the West Bank, such as Lockheed Martin, Elbit Systems, and Boeing.
More than 300 days into the genocide in Gaza, the students are adamant about stopping these investments. Rasikh states that “[Thursday’s] action was necessary due to UTAM’s ongoing complicity in facilitating genocide through its investments. The push for disclosure and divestment from these weapons manufacturers is critical.” Occupy U of T stresses the urgency of these acts, as well as the importance of acting within and outside of the campus.
It is clear why the University of Toronto is so hesitant to give in to the students’ demands. Occupy U of T reports that at least $4.35 billion dollars are invested in these companies. On the UTAM website detailing their investment performance, a quote from University of Toronto President Meric S. Gertler reads:
“We’re fortunate to be backed by a team of investment professionals who’ve been entrusted with carefully managing the university’s assets. As an institution that aspires to change the world for the better, we need a solid financial foundation – and UTAM is one of its cornerstones.”
Photos by @praxis_archives on Instagram.
Author
Did you like this article? Help us produce more like it by donating $1, $2, or $5. Donate