In recent weeks, protests at universities across Ontario have been ongoing. The graffiti sprayed by protesters at the University of Ottawa has garnered widespread attention on social media platforms, not only due to the damage caused to university facilities but also because of a spelling error.
On the steps of Tabaret Hall at the University of Ottawa, the words “Free PALASTINE” were crudely written, with the word “Palestine” misspelled as “Palastine,” with the letter E replaced by an A.
According to the student newspaper, “The Fulcrum,” this incident occurred on May 1 and quickly spread on the internet, sparking discussions among social media users. Some users questioned whether these protesters at the university truly understood what they were protesting about, suggesting a lack of knowledge regarding the cause they supported.
One user commented, “If you truly support Palestine, you wouldn’t misspell this word.”
Another user believed that such acts of vandalism were meaningless, stating, “Spraying paint on university steps won’t make any impact. If you really want your voice to be heard, go fight in Gaza.”
Despite efforts by a “third-party contractor” tasked with removing the graffiti, some demonstrators refused to leave the vandalized wall. The graffiti on the wall was described as “threatening, intimidating, and anti-Semitic,” prompting further confrontation as the contractor continued their work, inadvertently spraying paint on the protesting students.
University President Eric W. Kaler issued an apology in a statement regarding the incident, stating, “I strongly condemn the language posted on the demonstration wall yesterday and want to reiterate to our entire community that such language, directed at anyone, will not be tolerated on our campus.”
He mentioned that the university is conducting an investigation into the incident, aiming to address the concerns raised by the vandalism and the graffiti’s offensive language.