Following an incident where the RCMP escorted a group from UBC’s Vancouver campus, both the OneBC Party and the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) are expressing concerns about the university’s handling of the situation.
Dallas Brodie, leader of OneBC and MLA, is requesting an apology for the treatment her party received from the police. On the other hand, the UBCIC is urging the university to bar the group from returning to the campus.
The controversy unfolded when Brodie, a vocal skeptic of reports on unmarked graves at residential schools, arrived at UBC for what was described as a “protest event” in front of the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre. The gathering was met with opposition from counter-protesters, leading to tensions captured in social media videos.
Brodie recounted being assaulted by a “mob” after the event, despite it going relatively smoothly. She emphasized that her group did not intend to organize an event and felt harassed, threatened, and assaulted during their time on campus.
The situation escalated with claims that RCMP officers were present but did not intervene to stop the alleged assaults. Brodie criticized the lack of action from both the police and campus security in addressing the incidents.
In response, Brodie demands an apology from UBC’s leadership and is seeking clarity on why there was a lack of intervention to prevent violence during the altercation.
Concurrently, the UBCIC is condemning the university for tolerating “Residential School denialism” within its premises. Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, representing the UBCIC, insists that institutions like UBC should not harbor white supremacy, racism, or misinformation but rather foster ethical inquiry and knowledge production.
Phillip draws parallels to a past incident at the University of Victoria, emphasizing the need for UBC to denounce racism and uphold principles of respectful dialogue and academic integrity.