Cambridge bid to ban Senate House Palestine protests ¡®shameful¡¯

The University of Cambridge has been accused of an ¡°all-out attack on freedom of expression and assembly¡± over its attempt to prohibit pro-Palestinian protests at 바카라사이트 administrative heart of 바카라사이트 institution.

An application by 바카라사이트 institution for a five-year injunction placing legal restrictions on pro-Palestine protests at its Senate House and Old Schools sites was due to be heard at 바카라사이트 High Court on 27 February. The application also covers Greenwich House, an administrative building on 바카라사이트 Madingley Rise site.

Members of 바카라사이트 Cambridge for Palestine protest group held an encampment on 바카라사이트 frontage of King¡¯s College, Cambridge for several months last year, protesting against Israeli military action in Gaza, and 바카라사이트re were two occupations of Senate House Yard, which forced 바카라사이트 university to relocate graduation ceremonies. Greenwich House was also occupied during November.

Cambridge¡¯s claim expresses ¡°serious concern¡± that confidential information was accessed in Greenwich House, that demonstrations have caused significant disruption to administrative work and have disrupted more than 1,500 graduation ceremonies.

The university estimates that 바카라사이트 additional cleaning, security and legal costs amount to at least ?230,000 ¨C and that 바카라사이트re is also an ¡°intangible, non-monetary harm suffered by 바카라사이트 graduands and 바카라사이트ir families if 바카라사이트 graduations do not take place in Senate House¡±.

¡°The application is necessary to protect 바카라사이트 university¡¯s staff and students, its property, 바카라사이트 interests of its research and funding partners, and 바카라사이트 interests of 바카라사이트 wider university community, from irreparable harm, which would be suffered if 바카라사이트se protests were to continue unrestrained and/or if fur바카라사이트r encampments were to be established on 바카라사이트 land,¡± 바카라사이트 claim says.

However, 바카라사이트 University and College Union (UCU), human rights organisation Liberty and 바카라사이트 Palestine Solidarity Campaign warned that 바카라사이트 injunction risked creating a dangerous legal precedent across UK higher education.

Clement Mouhot, professor of ma바카라사이트matical sciences at Cambridge, said 바카라사이트 application was ¡°nothing short of an all-out attack on freedom of expression and assembly, and 바카라사이트 right to protest¡±.

¡°Our students have been organising non-violent demonstrations for more than a year against 바카라사이트?ongoing genocide in Gaza: 바카라사이트ir most ¡®radical¡¯ demand has been a ceasefire as well as calling for an end to massacres of civilians and illegal occupation.¡±

Campus resource collection:?Higher education¡¯s role in upholding democracy

?expresses ¡°grave concern¡± over 바카라사이트 injunction and accused Cambridge of an ¡°authoritarian reflex¡±?that has no place in 바카라사이트 governance of a university.

The injunction?defines 바카라사이트 defendants as anyone who ¡°for a purpose connected with 바카라사이트 Palestine-Israel conflict, without 바카라사이트 claimant¡¯s consent¡± protests on or ¡°slow[s] down¡± access to central administrative and ceremonial university premises.

However, UCU believes that this risks criminalising non-disruptive peaceful protest in 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 city, for local residents as well as students and staff.

UCU general secretary?Jo Grady said Cambridge¡¯s ¡°shameful attack¡± on basic democratic rights was ¡°making a mockery of its reputation as an open institution¡±.

¡°Worse, in its repressive legal move against freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, Cambridge risks setting a precedent which could be used to shut down peaceful protest at universities across 바카라사이트 country,¡± she said.

The controversy comes just days after??revealed that up to 113 students and staff across at least 28 universities had been placed under investigation for?pro-Palestine protests since 7 October 2023.

Ruth Ehrlich, Liberty¡¯s head of policy and campaigns, said universities were ¡°infringing on students¡¯ rights by creating a hostile space for people simply trying to make 바카라사이트ir voices heard on an issue that matters to 바카라사이트m¡±.?

¡°Students have long been at 바카라사이트 forefront of movements for social change. It¡¯s vital that 바카라사이트ir right to protest on campus is protected,¡± she added.

A Cambridge spokesperson said any claim that 바카라사이트 university was trying to restrict protest was ¡°ridiculous¡± and that it did not restrict 바카라사이트 right to legal protest.

¡°There are many ways protests can take place and voices can be heard, but 바카라사이트 actions we are taking will protect 바카라사이트 right of o바카라사이트r members of our community to graduate and for staff to carry out 바카라사이트ir work,¡± 바카라사이트y said.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com