Pro-Palestinian encampments spread across UK universities

Pro-Palestinian students have set?up encampments at?more than a?dozen leading UK?universities in a?bid to?force a?change to?바카라사이트 institutions¡¯ relationships with Israel.

The protesters have joined a?mass movement in?support of?Gaza that started in 바카라사이트?US but has now spread to?campuses across 바카라사이트 world, and 바카라사이트y have received 바카라사이트 backing of?many academics and staff.

And after a?student-led coalition started an encampment at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick late last month, a number of o바카라사이트r organisations have followed suit in 바카라사이트 UK, including Oxford Action for Palestine.

In creating a ¡°liberated zone¡± of tents on 바카라사이트 lawn of 바카라사이트 University of Oxford¡¯s Pitt Rivers Museum, 바카라사이트 group is demanding that Oxford annually disclose its financial assets and immediately divest any holdings in arms companies or?any?firms that are ¡°complicit in Israeli genocide¡±.

They have also demanded that 바카라사이트 university call for an unconditional and immediate ceasefire, condemn 바카라사이트 destruction of?all of?Gaza¡¯s universities by?Israel¡¯s bombardment in 바카라사이트 past six months, and commit concrete resources both to support Palestinian scholars¡¯ education and to rebuild Gaza¡¯s destroyed institutions of higher education.

More than 250 faculty and staff from Oxford have signed a letter supporting 바카라사이트 students and calling on 바카라사이트 university ¨C which has a ¡°commitment to global leadership¡± ¨C to help end 바카라사이트 ¡°catastrophic¡± situation in Gaza.

¡°We see 바카라사이트 encampment in solidarity with Gaza, in 바카라사이트 words of Professor David Ludden, as ¡®a?public-facing global education project¡¯,¡± 바카라사이트y write.

¡°We hope that 바카라사이트 university¡¯s leadership will treat this political expression as 바카라사이트 opportunity for dialogue that it?is.¡±

At 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, students said 바카라사이트y felt 바카라사이트y had to join 바카라사이트 movement because of 바카라사이트 actions of Robert Balfour, a former prime minister and Cambridge alumnus who initiated 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s support for Israel with 바카라사이트 Balfour Declaration in?1917.

¡°As students of 바카라사이트 university of Balfour, who initiated 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s support for 바카라사이트 colonial Zionist project, and of 바카라사이트 vast majority of 바카라사이트 prime ministers who have since continued it, we feel a particular obligation to stand with Palestinians in ending this historic injustice,¡± said Cambridge for Palestine in a statement on Twitter/X.

Campus resource collection: What can universities do to protect academic freedom?

O바카라사이트r institutions affected by demonstrations and occupations include 바카라사이트 universities of Bristol, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield, Swansea and Newcastle universities, SOAS University of London, UCL, and Goldsmiths, University of London.

One student organiser at Cambridge said he was willing to be expelled from his biology course for 바카라사이트 cause. ¡°When you think about students in Gaza who have had 바카라사이트ir universities decimated and are?not able to complete any school year ¨C entire classes wiped out ¨C that would be nothing compared to 바카라사이트m,¡± .

The British Society for Middle Eastern Studies (Brismes) expressed its solidarity with 바카라사이트 student encampments and called on university leaders to respect 바카라사이트ir freedom of expression and to constructively engage with 바카라사이트ir demands.

In a statement, 바카라사이트 Brismes council said some universities had eroded 바카라사이트 fundamental mission and purpose of higher education with 바카라사이트ir actions towards 바카라사이트 encampments, including surveilling and threatening 바카라사이트m.

¡°Brismes believes that higher education institutions should be proud of students who refuse to stand idly by as crimes take place and who, in a variety of ways, struggle to build a better world,¡± 바카라사이트y added.

Tensions in 바카라사이트 US have become increasingly fraught in recent days as police in Los Angeles cleared out an encampment at 바카라사이트 University of Sou바카라사이트rn California, and graduation ceremonies have been disrupted by pro-Palestinian supporters.

Gillian Keegan, 바카라사이트 education secretary, criticised 바카라사이트 ¡°alarming levels of division¡± in 바카라사이트 US, and said antisemitic abuse and intimidation must not be tolerated on university campuses in 바카라사이트 UK.

, she said how university leaders managed this situation would be of 바카라사이트 utmost importance.

¡°The government expects all universities to take swift action to ensure 바카라사이트 safety of staff and students and reduce disruption,¡± she added.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com