The student union at Montreal’s McGill University announced Monday that its Board of Directors made a split decision to revoke the club status of the pro-Palestinian group Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) after sustained pressure from the university administration and threats of funding cuts.

In a July 10 letter sent to Dymetri Taylor, president of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU), the university delivered a 60-day ultimatum to sever connections with SPHR by deregistering the club. McGill also urged the union to publicly denounce and distance itself from the activities of SPHR.

Deputy provost for Student Life and Learning Angela Campbell claimed that SSMU was in breach of its Memorandum of Agreement with the university by failing to ensure that SPHR conformed to the conditions set out in the document. Campbell alleged that the student union was “complicit” in SPHR’s operations and, therefore, had violated university policy.

In the event of a breach of the memorandum, McGill is authorized to transfer student fees into a trust, effectively suspending funding to SSMU. Legal counsel acting for SSMU disputes that the student union defaulted on their agreement with the university.

SPHR is a student-led organization that has played a significant role at McGill as an advocate for the Palestinians of Gaza. On April 27, the organization participated in a pro-Palestine encampment, which became the focus of media coverage after Québec Justice Marc St-Pierre ruled against McGill by refusing to grant an injunction to dismantle the demonstration. A little over a month later, police, acting under orders of the City of Montreal, took down the encampment.

SSMU is now in the process of renegotiating the Memorandum of Agreement with McGill to secure increased political autonomy.