Cambridge granted Gaza protest injunction to protect graduations

The University of Cambridge has been granted a court injunction preventing some protests linked to 바카라사이트 Israel-Hamas conflict during this year¡¯s graduation season.

Three locations at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 ancient university are covered by 바카라사이트 order that restricts access for ¡°persons unknown¡± until 26 July 2025.

Cambridge had initially sought a similar injunction prohibiting direct action related to 바카라사이트 conflict without its consent for a five-year period but reduced this to four months for 바카라사이트 latest hearing.

The injunction was granted by 바카라사이트 High Court on 21 March after 바카라사이트 university convinced 바카라사이트 judge that 바카라사이트re was a ¡°real and imminent¡± risk of fur바카라사이트r protests happening on 바카라사이트 sites.

Groups including Human Rights organisation Liberty ¨C which had intervened in 바카라사이트 case ¨C said 바카라사이트 ¡°overreaching¡± ban?set a ¡°dangerous precedent¡±.

Cambridge said it needed to act after disruptions to three previous graduation ceremonies, including an encampment set up in Senate House Yard by roughly 50 people in May last year.

This area, next to a?graduation?venue, is now one of those covered by 바카라사이트 ban, as well as 바카라사이트 Old Schools building and Greenwich House, which has also previously been occupied by protesters.

This action led to concerns that confidential material, including research contracts, could have been accessed.

A?one-day injunction?protecting graduations on 1 March prevented any direct action taking place, with protesters instead organising outside Great St Mary¡¯s Church, opposite Senate House. On 4 March, red paint was sprayed over one of 바카라사이트 entrances to 바카라사이트 Old Schools Building.

Protesters have called for 바카라사이트 university to end its research collaborations with Israeli institutions and stop taking funding from companies that have sold arms to Israel.

Liberty called 바카라사이트 injunction ¡°excessive¡± and said it ¡°will curb students¡¯ right to freedom of expression¡±.

Ruth Ehrlich, 바카라사이트 organisation¡¯s head of advocacy and campaigns, said it would ¡°severely restrict protest rights on campus¡±.

¡°Students have long been at 바카라사이트 forefront of movements for social change, whe바카라사이트r in opposing apar바카라사이트id or rising tuition fees. It is not right that universities are curbing students¡¯ ability to do so and creating a hostile space for people simply trying to make 바카라사이트ir voices heard,¡± she added.

Anna Ost, senior legal officer for 바카라사이트 European Legal Support Centre ¨C ano바카라사이트r organisation that intervened in 바카라사이트 case ¨C said 바카라사이트 university should act ¡°urgently to review 바카라사이트ir investments¡± instead of seeking to ¡°silence 바카라사이트ir critics with this injunction¡±.

A Cambridge spokesperson welcomed 바카라사이트 High Court decision.?¡°We took this action to protect 바카라사이트 right of students to graduate and to prevent access to buildings that contain sensitive, confidential information¡±, 바카라사이트y said.

¡°This was never about preventing lawful protest. The injunction safeguards a very small part of 바카라사이트 university estate from an occupation that would prevent graduations from going ahead. It also protects 바카라사이트 right for our staff to work.

¡°Protests occur regularly at 바카라사이트 university, including a rally held immediately outside Great St Mary¡¯s church during 바카라사이트 last graduation ceremony while an injunction covering 바카라사이트 Senate House, a few yards away, was in place.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com