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Re: York professor among those charged in Indigo store vandalism (The Globe and Mail (BC Edition)), Nov 25, 2023

Well, it must be nearly the end of the term ... but what the dickens just happened here?

I'm not an expert in municipal or federal law. Views I may have about the arrest of Lesley Wood- the legality of charges laid, whether it's OK the police called these hate crimes etc - these would be *opinions*. So if you believe these actions are 'merely' vandalism, that's fine. Are you trying to persuade someone else this is the case? You likely won't, until the facts are in. What is the precise charge, which statute, what is the evidence?

Are we to be concerned a -professor- was charged? Is this incident - off campus, not involving research or teaching - about academic freedom? If so, someone must explain clearly how. 

Around the circumstances of the arrest: I read the article, and asked Gerardo as well- the only account I see is about a friend's description of the event.
 “It’s just terrifying to see the abusive police repression over the past two days,” said Ms. Small, who demonstrated with others outside a police station Wednesday until all the accused were released.

It's hard for me to get exercised about police repression which was so severe, someone was able to demonstrate outside the police station, the accused were released to await their day in court. (It's late in the term, perhaps.) I've flat run out of outrage, spent it all on other things.

Do you wish to criticize Israel in your capacity as an individual? Fine. Do you wish to study it, or the history of the region, or teach about it? Wonderful. But if you're trying to *persuade* me that there's a Vast Conspiracy By Rich Jewish People To Shut Down Dissent In Canada - sorry, the argument is not persuasive. It reeks of racism. And if you're asserting 'it's OK to vandalize someone's stuff because they are rich and I don't like them' - well, that's a view. It is not persuasive. 

 Folks, please. There are colleagues on campus - Muslim and Jewish alike- for whom this is a dark, upsetting time.  The suffering of the children (all of them)  in Gaza and Israel is horrific beyond belief.  I firmly believe that each of you shares this sentiment. I also believe you'd all like to see an enduring and dignified peace in the region some day.  
 Our shared humanity is critical to this moment, especially if our academic expertise is unequal to it. 

best
Nilima

On Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 6:44 PM James Fleming <james_fleming@sfu.ca> wrote:
In my judgment, since you ask (rather than answering), it is manifest that the attack on the NYPL occurred solely because its building has a Jewish name on the side, and was associated with Israel on exactly that basis, and no other, by the attackers. And in my judgment the attack on Indigo occurred for exactly the same appalling reason. JDF




James Dougal Fleming
Professor, Department of English
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby/Vancouver,
British Columbia,
Canada.

The truth is an offence, but not a sin.
-- Bob Marley

From: Behraad Bahreyni
Sent: November 29, 2023 6:31:25 PM
To: James Fleming; power@sfu.ca; Leanna Jantzi; Rachel Altman; Baharak Yousefi; Gerardo Otero
Cc: academic-discussion@sfu.ca
Subject: RE: York professor among those charged in Indigo store vandalism (The Globe and Mail (BC Edition)), Nov 25, 2023
 

I do not know James. Please use your information and judgment to see if in your opinion the event was motivated by actions of Israel or actions of jews. The two are not the same.

 

 

From: James Fleming <james_fleming@sfu.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2023 6:26 PM
To: Behraad Bahreyni <bba19@sfu.ca>; power@sfu.ca; Leanna Jantzi <leanna_jantzi@sfu.ca>; Rachel Altman <rachel_altman@sfu.ca>; Baharak Yousefi <byousefi@sfu.ca>; Gerardo Otero <otero@sfu.ca>
Cc: academic-discussion@sfu.ca
Subject: Re: York professor among those charged in Indigo store vandalism (The Globe and Mail (BC Edition)), Nov 25, 2023

 

Does the same analysis hold for the recent vandalism at the main branch of the New York Public Library (now named after donor Steven Schwartzmann)?

James Dougal Fleming
Professor, Department of English
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby/Vancouver,
British Columbia,
Canada.

The truth is an offence, but not a sin.
-- Bob Marley

From: Behraad Bahreyni
Sent: November 29, 2023 6:20:53 PM
To: power@sfu.ca; James Fleming; Leanna Jantzi; Rachel Altman; Baharak Yousefi; Gerardo Otero
Cc: academic-discussion@sfu.ca
Subject: RE: York professor among those charged in Indigo store vandalism (The Globe and Mail (BC Edition)), Nov 25, 2023

 

In your example, the event would likely be hate-motivated, possibly targeting Islam. However, in the actual story, the CEO (not a religious leader) of Indigo (not a sinagog) was targeted, likely because of their support for Israel (not being jews).

 


 

From: power@sfu.ca <power@sfu.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2023 6:12 PM
To: James Fleming <james_fleming@sfu.ca>; Leanna Jantzi <leanna_jantzi@sfu.ca>; Rachel Altman <rachel_altman@sfu.ca>; Baharak Yousefi <byousefi@sfu.ca>; Gerardo Otero <otero@sfu.ca>
Cc: academic-discussion@sfu.ca
Subject: Re: York professor among those charged in Indigo store vandalism (The Globe and Mail (BC Edition)), Nov 25, 2023

 

If in the night a Toronto mosque were spattered with 'blood' and had posters attacking its imam plastered over it should we not agree that this is a regrettable act of hateful lslamophobic vandalism whatever the beliefs of the imam?  And that charges are merited?  If suspects are identified and arrested and we sympathize with their politics should we gloss it over in order to support them with critiques of the police and the charges and the imam and his politics/religion? 

 

From: James Fleming <james_fleming@sfu.ca>
Sent: November 29, 2023 6:10 PM
To: Leanna Jantzi; Rachel Altman; Baharak Yousefi; Gerardo Otero
Cc: academic-discussion@sfu.ca
Subject: Re: York professor among those charged in Indigo store vandalism (The Globe and Mail (BC Edition)), Nov 25, 2023

 

1. "Targetting Israel is not anti-Semitic."
2. "Rich Canadian Jews are Israeli targets."

Pick a lane. JDF

From: Leanna Jantzi <leanna_jantzi@sfu.ca>
Sent: November 29, 2023 6:03:51 PM
To: Rachel Altman; Baharak Yousefi; Gerardo Otero
Cc: academic-discussion@sfu.ca
Subject: RE: York professor among those charged in Indigo store vandalism (The Globe and Mail (BC Edition)), Nov 25, 2023

 

It's interesting to note that the JFN's launch event (link shared below) was a "press conference in support of the recent motion of the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) challenging the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism (IHRA)."

 

For further context (and to offer an example of a national organization that does not support the IHRA definition) here’s information from CAUT's 2021 Council, where "Council delegates unanimously passed a resolution to oppose the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Working Definition of Antisemitism (IHRA) at Canadian universities and colleges, citing threats to academic freedom on Canadian campuses" and an editorial posted on CAUT's website.

 

I think the JFN’s letter provides a very helpful and thoughtful voice to the reasons why the protest at the Indigo store is not a hate-motivated crime; rather it is a protest against the actions of the State of Israel and the CEO of Indigo’s sponsorship of the Lone Soldier Program. Being charged with vandalism may be a risk that protestors accept. Charging protestors with a “hate motivated” crime and breaking into their homes to make arrests – that I find unconscionable.

 

Leanna

 

From: Rachel Altman <rachel_altman@sfu.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2023 4:37 PM
To: Baharak Yousefi <byousefi@sfu.ca>; Gerardo Otero <otero@sfu.ca>
Cc: academic-discussion@sfu.ca
Subject: Re: York professor among those charged in Indigo store vandalism (The Globe and Mail (BC Edition)), Nov 25, 2023

 

I, for one, am really tired of the (ab)use of the views of a small proportion of Jews to justify antisemitism and the demonization of Israel. IHRA is very widely accepted in Jewish circles, which is why so many countries, organizations, regions (including the city of Vancouver) and have adopted it. To deny this fact is to deny Jews' understanding of and experience with antisemitism. And holding up this letter -- or statements from fringe groups such as Independent Jewish Voices -- as evidence that this crime (yes, vandalism is a crime, not a peaceful protest!) was justified is, frankly, unconscionable.

 

Rachel

 

From: Baharak Yousefi <byousefi@sfu.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2023 3:45:07 PM
To: Gerardo Otero
Cc: academic-discussion@sfu.ca
Subject: Re: York professor among those charged in Indigo store vandalism (The Globe and Mail (BC Edition)), Nov 25, 2023

 

Dear Gerardo,

 

I thought you may be interested in the attached letter sent by the Jewish Faculty Network to Mayor Olivia Chow and others.

 

Apologies for the JPEG format. I am sharing it from this Twitter/X post. While this particular letter is signed collectively, over 170 Jewish scholars from across the country signed the Network's 2021 statement against the IHRA definition of antisemitism. You can see their names here:

 

https://jewishfaculty.ca/jewish-faculty-against-the-ihra-defn/

 

And a link to JFN's launch event for anyone interested in learning more.

 

All best,

Baharak

 

 

From: Gerardo Otero <otero@sfu.ca>
Sent: November 25, 2023 9:15 AM
To: Politics, Institutions and Development; Politics, Institutions and Development; Umer Hussain; academic-discussion@sfu.ca
Subject: York professor among those charged in Indigo store vandalism (The Globe and Mail (BC Edition)), Nov 25, 2023

 

Among other things, this article tells the story of tremendous abuse of police power in Toronto against a professor engaged in protest.

 

York professor among those charged in Indigo store vandalism

SEAN FINE JUS­TICE WRITER

 

 

The Globe and Mail (BC Edition)

Nov 25, 2023

 

 

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Gerardo Otero

Dictated message



--
 Nilima Nigam
Professor
Dept. of Mathematics
Simon Fraser University