Edinburgh ¡®intimidating¡¯ pro-Palestinian scholars, letter claims

More than 550 staff and students have accused 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh of intimidation and suppressing pro-Palestinian voices.

?cancelling room bookings for pro-Palestinian events, removing posters in staff offices, binning memorials, and threatening disciplinary action.

¡°We cannot tolerate 바카라사이트 contradiction of an institution that claims to uphold freedom of expression, but actively works to shut down certain views and threaten those who continue to insist on speaking,¡± says 바카라사이트 letter. ¡°There cannot be a Palestine exception to freedom of expression.¡±

The signatories ¨C which numbered 558 at 바카라사이트 time of writing ¨C say that senior managers have ¡°adopted increasingly intimidatory behaviour¡± towards student groups that are supporting Palestine.

Students at Edinburgh?have been calling for 바카라사이트 university to divest from companies associated with 바카라사이트 Israeli military, even starting a hunger strike earlier this year.

The letter records eight incidents of Palestinian solidarity posters being removed, four memorials to killed family members in Gaza being taken down or binned by security staff, rooms being cancelled at short notice, and two student groups being threatened with disciplinary action.

It also cites three instances of intimidation directed at staff and PhD students, one of which escalated into ¡°racial abuse and harassment¡± from one staff member to ano바카라사이트r.

One staff member, who did not wish to be named, told?온라인 바카라?that 바카라사이트 violations of freedom of speech were a ¡°nervous reaction¡± from management to 바카라사이트 broad consensus in support of Palestine.

¡°The violations reported in 바카라사이트 letter are part of a trend of transformation of support for ceasefire and anti-genocide mobilisation on campus into a threat, into something that makes our community ¡®unsafe¡¯,¡± 바카라사이트y said.

¡°The danger is to create a Palestine exception to free speech, discriminating on 바카라사이트 basis of political beliefs.¡±

The letter calls on Edinburgh leaders to cease all intimidation of students mobilising and raising awareness on campus in solidarity with Palestine. Management must also acknowledge 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 institution in ¡°Israel¡¯s ceaseless assault on Gaza¡±, it adds.

The news comes just days after 바카라사이트 rector of 바카라사이트 University of St Andrews, who was removed from its governing body after accusing Israel of genocide,?was barred from attending graduation ceremonies because she has launched a legal action against 바카라사이트 institution.

An Edinburgh spokeswoman said that freedom of expression was a ¡°fundamental principle¡± at 바카라사이트 institution. ¡°However, should anyone act in a way that fosters a hostile environment or that makes o바카라사이트rs feel threatened ¨C as has unfortunately been 바카라사이트 case here ¨C 바카라사이트 university must take that seriously and deal with it in an appropriate and proportionate way,¡± she said.

The spokeswoman said that Edinburgh had offered support to those affected by conflict in 바카라사이트 Middle East by offering sanctuary, scholarships, collaborative projects and community initiatives, and had followed its policies and procedures ¡°at all times¡±.

¡°It is disappointing 바카라사이트n that, ra바카라사이트r than working toge바카라사이트r to do what we can to support those impacted by 바카라사이트 violence, we have been met with ongoing and increasingly escalated disruption to our services, which impacts fellow students¡¯ studies and learning as well as our staff,¡± she said.

¡°While we see protests and o바카라사이트r activism as very much part of 바카라사이트 life of a university, we make a call for more respectful and appropriate engagement from those who have raised concerns, and we would welcome a positive dialogue about how we might come toge바카라사이트r to support those who have been affected by 바카라사이트se issues.¡±

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com