Student democracy at the University of Alberta, and the fight for Palestinian freedom, is under direct attack from the Students’ Union’s (SU). The Chief Returning Officer (CRO) has overturned the election of pro-Palestinian candidate Lisa Glock as President of the SU on the basis of unfounded and unevidenced claims that Glock violated SU election bylaws. 

The SU’s actions are an attempt to suppress Palestine solidarity and student democracy as a whole. 

The CRO ruling claims that an unknown student called Presidential Candidate Michael Griffiths “Islamophobic,” and uses this as evidence that Glock treated Griffith’s campaign unfairly.

How are we supposed to know that Glock even heard this statement, especially given that Glock denies that she did?
If she did hear it, why would she be responsible for someone else’s words?
If she did agree—why is this grounds to overturn her democratic election?

The ruling claims that the student who made the comment about Griffith is a member of Students for Justice for Palestine (SJP)—even though SJP does not have an official membership list. The ruling also argues that because there are audio recordings proving that Glock knew SJP intended to endorse candidates who support the liberation of Palestine, Glock’s election is not legitimate. How does this make any sense? 

And most importantly:

Why is supporting the liberation of Palestine grounds to overturn an election? 

Just because the SU finds it wrong to support the besieged Palestinian people, this doesn’t mean no one else can. SJP has every right to support candidates who support Palestine, and candidates have every right to advocate their political views. If not, then what is the point of campaigning? What is the point of having an SU at all, if the students cannot express their democratic will through it?  

The fact is that thousands of students at the University of Alberta are disgusted by the genocidal onslaught against the Palestinian people. They elected a President who reflected their views. That is how democracy works. If the SU and their CRO can’t accept that, they have no right to represent the students of this campus. Their job is to represent us, not police us as we try to express solidarity with a people currently facing genocide. The students of this campus stand with Palestine. The SU can accept this or get out of the way—but they do not get to carry out a coup to suppress Palestine solidarity. Not on our campus. 

DEFEND DEMOCRACY, DEFEND FREE SPEECH! SUPPORTING PALESTINE IS NOT A CRIME! NO COUP ON OUR SU! REINSTATE LISA GLOCK!