UofT encampment organizer Sara Rasikh joins me to walk through the inside story of “Occupy for Palestine”—from the first tents at King’s College Circle (May 2, 2024) to the court-ordered dismantling (July 3). We talk logistics, negotiation, care work, spiritual life in the camp, and the personal risks for student spokespeople. I set the scene with “Fascist / Squish / Antifascist” news on Greta Thunberg’s deportation and how liberal institutions police dissent—then close with a “fashy dad” segment on UK PM Keir Starmer and the criminalization of Palestine Action supporters. If you’ve wondered what encampments actually do—politically, ethically, and communally—this is your primer.

Guest
Sara Rasikh (PhD student, University of Toronto). MA in Social Justice Education; HBA in Ethics, Society & Law and in Critical Studies in Equity & Solidarity (UofT).

Listen & Support
• Watch/subscribe: YouTube @antifascistdad
• TikTok: @antifascistdad
• IG: @matthew_Remski
• Part 2 is up now on Patreon: @antifascistdadpodcast (temporarily paywalled)
• Pre-order the book Antifascist Dad: Urgent Conversations with Young People in Chaotic Times (North Atlantic Books, Apr 2026): https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/807656/antifascist-dad-by-matthew-remski/

Content notes
State violence; detention; doxxing; police actions; genocide; fasting/starvation; prison abuse (discussion).

References

• UofT encampment—injunction & dismantling (July 2–3, 2024): University’s official notice and Reuters same-day coverage confirm the court order to clear by 6:00 p.m., July 3 and the camp’s removal. Office of the President

• Campus encampment wave scale (May 2024): AP reported rapid spread across Europe and the U.S.; The Chronicle’s tracker packages recap scope and arrests through 2024–25. AP News

• Greta Thunberg—deportation & Athens remarks (Oct 6, 2025): On-the-ground AP and Reuters pieces (plus AP video) document the deportations and her statement at Athens airport. AP News

• Hannibal Directive on Oct 7, 2023: Haaretz investigation (with summary reporting by Al Jazeera) details the order’s use on Oct 7.

• (00:00:00) - Anti-Fascist Dad Podcast: The Encampment for Palestine
• (00:04:03) - Fascists Squish and Anti Fascist News of the Week
• (00:08:38) - Why I Write About The Israel War
• (00:14:56) - Oveoccupy for Palestine: Our demands
• (00:19:35) - The U of T Student Camping
• (00:29:19) - Speakers at the Palestine encampment
• (00:33:32) - Was Your Family Concerned About Your Safety?
• (00:35:34) - Various spiritual practices offered at the Gaza encampment
• (00:38:03) - Food at the Occupy encampment
• (00:40:10) - FASHY DAD: Keir Starmer
• (00:43:00) - The Fight for the Right to Protest

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Antifascist Dad Podcast! Matthew Remski sits down with songwriter Nathan Evans Fox to talk about kinship, Appalachia, and the viral hymn that’s resonating across communities. Nathan shares the roots of his concept of yallidarity—solidarity rooted in labor, joy, food, music, and taking care of one another.

They discuss the myths and realities of Appalachia, the erasure of labor history, and the dangers of “bootstrap” individualism. Nathan tells about his upbringing in fringe charismatic churches, the connections between charismatic Christianity and Trump-style politics, and how faith traditions can nurture resilience—or be co-opted by empire.

Above all, they dig into Nathan’s viral Hillbilly Hymn: why the cops disappear when Jesus returns, why kinship always beats bootstraps, and how to imagine abolitionist futures that don’t erase culture but reorient it toward joy, justice, and care.

Nathan also opens up about generational trauma, his upcoming album Heirloom, and what it means to write a song that takes 35 years to arrive. For young antifascist songwriters, he offers hard-won advice about rooting your creativity in community, accountability, and justice.

Everything Nathan Evans Fox.

Part 2 of this discussion with Nathan up now on Patreon.

All theme music by the amazing www.kalliemarie.com.

Antifascist Dad: Urgent Conversations with Young People in Chaotic Times (North Atlantic Books, April 2026).
Preorder: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/807656/antifascist-dad-by-matthew-remski/

Instagram: @matthew_remski

TikTok: @antifascistdad

Bluesky: @matthewremski.bsky.social (Bluesky Social)

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AntifascistDad

Show Notes:

Gaza Sumud flotilla: How Israel breaks international maritime law | Israel-Palestine conflict News | Al Jazeera

Gaza-bound flotilla rejects Israeli claims of Hamas funding | Euronews

Contact Restored with Global Sumud Flotilla after Israeli Interference - Palestine Chronicle

• (00:00:00) - Anti-Fascist Dad Podcast
• (00:02:05) - Antifascist Dad: New Podcast, New Project
• (00:05:22) - Anti-Fascism in Focus: The Global Summud Flotilla
• (00:09:49) - Interview: Nathan Evans Fox
• (00:14:45) - What is "Yallidarity"?
• (00:15:39) - How the Problem of Appalachia Gets Described
• (00:20:31) - Coming Out: Songs About My Religious Background
• (00:26:11) - Trump and Charismatic Christianity
• (00:30:40) - "Why Doesn't Jesus Make You Prove Anything?"
• (00:32:36) - Big Trucks And The Masculinity Tip
• (00:35:29) - Beans and Honey Buns
• (00:36:35) - Jesus Coming Back: Is he a Vegetarian?
• (00:37:52) - "All the Guns Are For Shooting Clays"
• (00:41:15) - Fascist Dad of the Week