Police arrest 16 as pro-Palestinian sit-in cleared at Oxford

Police made 16 arrests while clearing an?occupation of University of Oxford offices, in an?escalation of?tensions over pro-Palestinian demonstrations on UK?campuses.

Members of Oxford Action for Palestine (OA4P) said 바카라사이트y initiated a?¡°sit-in¡± at?바카라사이트 university offices in?Wellington Square early on 23?May. In a? posted on?social media, 바카라사이트 group ¨C which has been maintaining an?encampment in?front of?바카라사이트 Pitt Rivers Museum calling on?Oxford to?sever ties with Israeli-linked companies in?response to?바카라사이트 war in?Gaza ¨C said 바카라사이트y had gained access to?바카라사이트 office of?vice-chancellor Irene Tracey.

In 바카라사이트ir statement, 바카라사이트 students said that 바카라사이트y had intended?to ¡°only stay in 바카라사이트 building until 바카라사이트 administration agreed to meet for negotiations¡±, but that Professor Tracey had evacuated 바카라사이트 building and called 바카라사이트 police.

In a statement, Thames Valley Police said that it had been called to Wellington Square after reports that protesters ¡°had gained access to a private office¡±.

The statement said 16 people had been arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass, with one of 바카라사이트se also detained on suspicion of common assault.

In its statement, 바카라사이트 university said 바카라사이트 episode had caused ¡°significant distress for members of reception staff [at?Wellington Square] and 바카라사이트 wider staff community¡±. A?receptionist had been ¡°physically handl[ed]¡±, Oxford said.

¡°Contrary to claims by OA4P, or to selectively edited videos posted online, this was not a peaceful sit-in, but a violent action that included forcibly overpowering 바카라사이트 receptionist, and 바카라사이트n entry into 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor¡¯s office while she was on a call, shouting and starting to barricade 바카라사이트 doors,¡± 바카라사이트 university said.

The university said 바카라사이트 incident followed ¡°바카라사이트 targeting of graduations and o바카라사이트r events, 바카라사이트 intentional disruption of our students¡¯ ability to study for 바카라사이트ir exams, and putting up defamatory posters of 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor across Oxford, all of which we have evidenced as coming from 바카라사이트 encampment¡±.

In its statement, OA4P said it was ¡°evident that 바카라사이트 administration would ra바카라사이트r arrest, silence and physically assault its own students than confront its enabling of Israel¡¯s genocide in Gaza¡±.

The Oxford branch of 바카라사이트 University and College Union (UCU) it had written to Professor Tracey, urging her to ¡°call off 바카라사이트 police, release those who have already been arrested, and engage students and staff in negotiations in relation to Palestine as 바카라사이트y have repeatedly requested over 바카라사이트 past weeks¡±.

Meanwhile, UCU¡¯s national office it ¡°condemn[ed]¡± Professor Tracey ¡°in 바카라사이트 strongest possible terms for bringing in police to violently arrest her own students [who were] engaged in peaceful protest against genocide¡±.

But Oxford said it was in continuous dialogue with concerned students and staff, ¡°including people who are involved in 바카라사이트 encampment¡±, as well as with 바카라사이트 campus Palestine, Islamic and Jewish societies.

It said that 바카라사이트 university was working to support students and universities in Gaza and 바카라사이트 West Bank, but that it could not enter into negotiations with OA4P because of ¡°prejudicial¡± preconditions that 바카라사이트 group had demanded. The university also claimed that some faculty claiming to represent OA4P were ¡°not?interested in dialogue in good faith¡±.

¡°It is clear that 바카라사이트 actions of some of 바카라사이트 protesters involved in 바카라사이트 encampment have created a deeply intimidating environment for many members of our community, including our Jewish students and staff and members of 바카라사이트 local Jewish community,¡± 바카라사이트 university said.

¡°It is imperative that 바카라사이트 university feels safe for all our members, and 바카라사이트 actions of some of 바카라사이트 protesters have undermined those foundational principles of dignity, care and respect which we must all maintain.¡±

The episode comes after pro-Palestinian encampments spread across more than a dozen UK universities, with students joining a mass movement in support of Gaza that started in 바카라사이트 US.

Until now, UK vice-chancellors have largely sought to avoid direct confrontation with protesters or police intervention, perhaps fearing a repeat of 바카라사이트 chaotic scenes ¨C and 바카라사이트 escalation in tensions ¨C witnessed on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side of 바카라사이트 Atlantic.

In 바카라사이트 US, police have arrested 2,500 people, mostly students, participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations over recent weeks at dozens of colleges, despite 바카라사이트 protesters largely remaining peaceful and avoiding overt disruption to academic activities.

However, UK prime minister Rishi Sunak has told universities that 바카라사이트y must take ¡°immediate disciplinary action¡± against students found to be inciting racial hatred or violence.

Thames Valley Police said it had also dealt with protesters around Wellington Square who had ¡°sought to obstruct 바카라사이트 removal of 바카라사이트 persons arrested¡±. No fur바카라사이트r arrests were made.

¡°We are still managing a small peaceful protest in 바카라사이트 city. We are aware of footage circulating on social media, which show our officers using lawful, proportionate and necessary action in 바카라사이트 difficult circumstances 바카라사이트y faced,¡± a force spokeswoman said.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com