Student Exited from Western University Class for Repeatedly Violating COVID-19 Vaccine Policy | The Canadian News

A Western University alumnus says he was expelled from school after video emerged of him being dragged out of a classroom when he repeatedly violated the school’s COVID-19 vaccine policy.

The student constitutes a very small portion of the students who have been expelled from the university for violating the policy.

As of Friday, “28 students (out of a total of approximately 37,000) have been placed on involuntary leave due to noncompliance,” Western said in a statement to Global News.

“We have dealt with one person regarding noncompliance that requires intervention on campus.”

Western policy requires anyone on campus, including visitors, to provide proof of complete COVID-19 vaccination or proof of an approved exemption. Those who have an approved exemption must also get tested for the virus twice a week.

Harry Wade, 22, identified himself as the student who was pulled from a class in a video that has been widely shared on social media.

Before the video, he says he was arrested by Western Special Constable Service (WSCS), the police service on the Western campus, for the first time on November 10.

The arrest took place outside of class, according to Wade, after he saw officers who appeared willing to arrest him.

Wade said officers informed him that he was trespassing on the Western campus and asked him to leave.

“I refused because I was attending class, I had paid to be on campus, and I was just trying to get to my class that day at that time,” Wade told Global News.

“They said I couldn’t be there and I insisted that I should and they arrested me at the scene and detained me inside one of their offices.”

His second arrest took place the following day and was published on an Instagram account popular with western students.

In the video, WSCS officers can be seen handcuffing an unmasked Wade as they escort him out of class.

“I made sure the class wasn’t being watched this time to make sure I got into the class,” Wade told Global News.

Wade said that when he got to class, his teacher had called WSCS and officers arrived about 20 minutes later.

“(The officers) asked me if I could go out and I insisted that they behave before class,” Wade said.

“They told me I’m under arrest and I told them I was not going to comply and they said ‘well, we’re going to have to handcuff you here.’

Earlier this week, another video was posted on the Instagram account, showing WSCS officers holding Wade by his arms and legs as they pulled him out of class.

“At this point, I have been expelled, and that will last for the next five years, as I understand it, and that includes all the universities in Ontario, if all the universities decide to honor that expulsion.”

In its statement to Global News, Western said it was unable to discuss individual cases due to privacy legislation, however, it noted that the university “takes an incremental approach to responding to people who do not comply.”

“Individuals found not to be in compliance with Western’s immunization policy had ample opportunity to provide proof of vaccination to the university, including multiple phone calls, emails, text messages, and warnings,” Western’s statement added.

A spokesperson for the Western University Students’ Council (USC) said the student-led group is unaware of individual incidents for privacy reasons, but noted overwhelming support for the school’s immunization policy.

“The vast majority of students have provided the College Student Council with positive feedback on Western University’s immunization policy,” said Ziyana Kotadia, vice president for university affairs at USC.

“If students have concerns about the policy and / or its implementation, we encourage them to contact us to raise those concerns with decision makers at the university.”

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