York U threatens sanctions against student unions over controversial statements about Hamas attacks

York University has called for the resignation of the leaders of three student unions following controversial statements made about the Hamas attack on Israel earlier this month.

University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton said in a statement Friday that they believe the student unions have breached their responsibilities under the Regulation Regarding Student Organizations by failing to operate in an open, accessible, democratic, non-discriminatory manner when it comes to all students.

The university has given the unions until 5 p.m. Oct. 25 to retract their statements, acknowledge the harm done to members and to the community by the statements, and for union executives to resign or they will face further consequences.

“If the union denies that a breach has occurred, there will be a due process hearing to determine if there has been a breach, which could result in sanctions, the most severe of which would be the University withdrawing recognition of the union,” reads the statement from the university.

“The University is deeply disappointed that this step is now required, but we are compelled to uphold University policies and to act in the best interests of the York community, including those of the student unions and their memberships.”

The York Federation of Students, York University Graduate Student Association and the Glendon College Student Union shared a joint statement of solidarity with Palestine on Oct. 13 in the wake of the Hamas attack.

University officials have condemned the statements as “inflammatory” and called on the student union to clarify that they reject any acts of violence or discrimination against Jewish students or other members of the community.

“Freedom of expression has limits and comes with responsibilities. It must never reach into promoting or justifying violence against unarmed civilians,” a university spokesperson wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

Ontario Government House Leader Paul Calandra has called for sanctions against the unions while Jill Dunlop, the Ontario Minister of Colleges and Universities, called on the groups to apologize and rescind their statements while asking the university to hold them accountable for their actions.