Students call for better emergency response from University of Waterloo

It was an afternoon of grieving, and demanding a better future for all gender identities.

Following three stabbings in a gender studies class on Wednesday, the University of Waterloo held a moment of silence in the Arts Quad on Thursday, while GroundUpWR hosted a rally around the corner in front of Hagey Hall, the building where the attacks occurred.

“This was a profoundly dreadful and deeply traumatizing event,” Dean of Arts Sheila Ager told the crowd in the Arts Quad. “I thank god no lives were lost, but the impact is still terrible.”

UW staff speaking at the gathering encouraged community healing, counselling, and for students to take a step back from studies if they felt the need to do so.

Following the moment of silence, students called on the university for better emergency response.

It started in the Arts Quad when a student stood on a bench, holding a sign that read, “UW’s mental health is not good! Listen!” and expressed concern about the lack of mental health resources at the school.

“Listen to what the students want and need,” the student called. “They want to be heard. They need your attention.”

Students at the rally afterwards also took the time to express their thoughts.

Zara, a student organizer of the rally, believes community safety has not been a priority at UW.

“There has been mismanagement of the emergency broadcast system that did not notify people that were in danger,” Zara said. “There was the decision to keep the campus open during and immediately after the attack, which does not leave space for community healing.”

James Chow is a student in the gender studies class that was attacked on Wednesday, and said the police asked the students afterwards if they have the university’s emergency alert app.

“A lot of people didn’t know this existed, until yesterday afternoon, or even today,” said Chow.

He said only one person had their phone after leaving the classroom because the others had left theirs behind in a panic.

Though Ager said the arrival of first responders was immediate, Chow estimated it took half an hour for police and special constables to arrive after students told maintenance workers outside to call 9-1-1.

University Vice President James Rush acknowledged ahead of Thursday’s events that there was a delay in university’s emergency alert system.

UW student Aaliyah said at the rally, “As trans students, as queer students, as marginalized students, we are calling on the University of Waterloo to apologize for the gross mishandling of the act of hatred and take concrete steps of action to show the student body we belong here.”