Male international student mob disrupts campus Women’s Centre meeting

The University of Regina’s Women’s Centre’s annual general meeting was disrupted before it began due to a rowdy crowd of mostly male international students.

The University of Regina’s Women’s Centre’s annual general meeting was disrupted before it began due to a rowdy crowd of mostly male international students.

The event at Luther College adjourned early after one individual allegedly interrupted, complaining that an amendment she wished to include in the meeting was excluded from the group’s agenda. The individual reportedly had not explained what the amendment involved.

However, others in the estimated 100-person and primarily male audience were reportedly disruptive as well.

Campus security was called, and the auditorium was cleared, with three individuals escorted off campus for disrupting the event.

A spokesperson for the University of Regina told True North it was investigating and reaffirmed its commitment to DEI values.

“We are currently investigating all pertinent information and are prepared to take appropriate action,” UofR President Jeff Keshen said in a statement to the campus community. “There is zero tolerance for hate, racism, misogyny, and intimidation at the University of Regina.”

The Women’s Centre speculated that the protest could be linked to recent calls from the University of Regina’s Student Union to defund the women’s group along with other non-profits, such as one of the school’s Pride organizations.

The URSU or its president, Mahad Ahmad, did not respond to True North’s request to comment.

The non-profit women’s group released a statement on Instagram following the incident, noting that several individuals were disruptive, including one who interrupted a blessing from an Indigenous leader.

“Tonight, the UR Women’s Centre AGM was prematurely interrupted when certain individuals refused to let me speak. We had barely gotten through the blessing offered by our special guest, Knowledge Keeper Kenny Awasis, when disruptions began,” Board Chair for the group, Debra Schuber, said in the statement.

Schubert said that “individuals” were “bold enough” to come up to the table during the blessing to tell organizers to “hurry up” because “most” of the attendees were fasting for Ramadan.

“I am genuinely confused as to how someone can think they can walk into a meeting as a guest and attempt to take control. Please have some humility and respect those around you,” she said. “I understand that people are passionate, but never in a million years would I go into someone’s space and interrupt a person of religious authority because I was hungry.”

The post described that one person interrupted the blessing while others were recording, which was seen as being “incredibly disrespectful and in poor taste” to the Indigenous guest.

She noted that she is Muslim and has been fasting for Ramadan since 2002.

“Who do you think you are to interrupt a blessing from OUR special invited guest? It is, quite frankly, disgusting,” She said. “We, the URWC Board of Directors, do not tolerate this behaviour.”

She noted that the individuals who disrupted the proceedings were “South Asian nationals” and not Middle Eastern or Muslim – but did not provide proof that they were not Muslim. Some in the comments of the post criticized her, saying it is impossible to tell if someone is Muslim by looking at them.

Hindus also celebrate Holi during March, which could include fasting.

The Women’s Centre did not respond to True North’s requests for comment.

She claimed the “violence and disruption” witnessed at the meeting were “rooted in misogyny.”

“This incident is a stark reminder of why we need safe spaces for women students of all backgrounds,” Schubert said. “Ensuring safety and respect for women is not up for debate, and we must remain focused on that priority.”

Just Bins, a garbage company in Regina with a large following on X, reported that one of the female supporters of the Women’s Centre who requested their identity remain anonymous said the incident was reflective of many international students not sharing Western values such as feminism.

The meeting was scheduled to celebrate the recently passed International Women’s Day.

This comes just months after the University of Regina Student Union passed several motions to hold a referendum to strip the Women’s Centre of its student fee-covered funding. The Women’s Centre doesn’t take governance direction from the student union or the school but receives student funding.

The student union also voted to hold a referendum which would strip the school’s non-profit Pride organization, UR Pride Centre for Sexuality and Gender Diversity, of funding. The Regina chapter of Engineering Without Borders was also subject to the same referendum.

Some online, including the Women’s Centre, have speculated that the student union’s push to defund the groups was what motivated many of the protesters.