Not Our Policy demonstrators held a rally March 2 and hung a banner in front of the Carleton University sign on Bronson Avenue, in spite of a confrontation with Campus Safety two weeks prior.
Three students attempting to put a banner up in the same spot were approached and told they were violating mischief and vandalism laws by Campus Safety officers on Feb. 16. They were also told they could be charged criminally for their actions.
The March 2 rally was held to express solidarity with the campaigners who were approached on Feb. 16, and to demonstrate that Not Our Policy will press on with their campaign, according to organizer Caitlin Salvino.
Not Our Policy is a campaign which supports a reform of Carleton’s sexual violence prevention policy, which was approved on Dec. 1. Their demands include adding an immunity clause to protect survivors of sexual assault from being sanctioned for drug or alcohol use at the time of the assault.
Thursday’s rally began at 4 p.m. and was met by three Ottawa police cars, including a van.
“The officers were very concerned that we would be blocking the streets,” Salvino said. “Once we clarified that we would not be doing this they seemed relieved and the police van left.”
Campus security officers also met with the demonstrators outside of the University Centre as they walked back.
“I believe this heavy police response is in line with how the Carleton administration has treated students working to make our campus safer for months,” Salvino said.
Carleton’s Department of University Safety disputed this claim.
“I don’t think there was any intimidation at all,” said Brian Billings, assistant director of Campus Safety.
“We did meet with the organizers prior to the event because we wanted to have an understanding in terms of what it was that they were looking to do, in order to provide them with a safe environment to conduct their protest,” Billings said.
Despite the presence of Ottawa police, Not Our Policy activists wanted to demonstrate that their campaign for a reformed sexual violence prevention policy is still active.
“We would like to make sure the administration understands how upset the students are, especially the student organizations that have been continuously protesting and trying to communicate with the administration on the policy not being up to our standards,” said Safina Vesuna, one of the demonstrators at Thursday’s rally.
Jodi Miles, a student who is part of the Not Our Policy campaign, spoke at the rally.
“We’re still not happy with the sexual violence policy at Carleton, and we’re also here to expose Carleton for caring more about the protection of their public image than they care about the voices of students,” Miles said to the crowd of demonstrators.
Thursday’s banner hanging will be the last of its kind, Salvino said. She added the campaign has launched an online petition that further explains their message and recommendations.
– Photo by Luke Carroll
