13 hours ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Glasgow students back Palestine Action in Instagram post
Glasgow University's Justice for Palestine Society (GUJPS), who have long protested the institution's investments in arms companies, expressed support for Palestine Action in an online statement on Sunday, alongside groups at universities in London, Cambridge, and Liverpool.
The statement, which was posted to Instagram, read: 'From our campus to our streets, we, the students, unequivocally stand side by side with Palestine Action against the government's shameful threats of proscription.
'This is an unprecedented escalation by the state against our entire movement. We stand united in our resistance to state against our entire movement.
"We stand united in our resistance to state repression, and we reassert our commitment to enforcing a people's arms embargo by materially disrupting the flow of arms to the zionist entity and striking at imperialism from within institutions.
'The student movement and Palestine Action are two fronts of one struggle for liberation. As the student movement for Palestine, we will continue to organise to make it untenable for our universities to maintain their ties with zionism.'
Supporters of the group rallied in London on Monday. Members of GUJPS have previously occupied university buildings, blocked campus thoroughfares, and participated in a week-long encampment several months ago
The group sparked controversy in March when it called for the 'banning of all Zionists from campus.'
Jewish student Anat Kraskin wrote in The Herald: 'Over the past year, Jewish students have been subjected to constant hostility, including protests, aggressive rhetoric, and attempts to delegitimize Jewish identity under the pretense of anti-Zionism.'
In response, a GUJPS spokesperson said the call to ban Zionists was 'in direct response to the repeated invitation of prominent pro-Israeli speakers" as well as companies "which facilitate and profit off of Israel's genocide.'
Palestine Action faces being proscribed as a terrorist organisation after several activists broke into RAF Brize Norton and damaged two military planes, the latest in a series of high-profile incidents.
In March, the group was accused of vandalising US President Donald Trump's Turnberry golf club, after red paint was daubed on the venue's clubhouse and the words 'Gaza is not 4 sale' was spray painted on one of the resort's greens.
Donald Trump's Turnberry golf course was vandalised. (Image: PA) Palestine Action activists also occupied the Thales weapons factory in Govan on 1 June 2022, setting off flares and causing more than £1m in damage. Five demonstrators were sentenced to 12-14 months in prison last August.
Read more:
'We're being silenced': pro-Palestine student activists fear for freedom of speech
Police Scotland tactics branded "oppressive" by pro-Palestine campaigners
Breakfast at the camp: My morning with the Glasgow Uni student protestors
In a statement, a University of Glasgow spokesperson said: 'The University of Glasgow upholds the right to freedom of expression, including the right of staff and students.
to engage in peaceful demonstrations. However, we do not tolerate criminal activities or those which interfere with the rights of others to go about their business in peace.
'As an institution we stand against hate or harassment of any kind. We regularly communicate with all our staff and students about the need for tolerance towards each other, and we reiterate this call for all members of our community to be respectful to each other at all times.'
