Oxbridge students have set up encampments in front of Britain’s most prestigious universities in solidarity with Gaza – as university protests continue to sweep across the UK.
At around 8am on Bank Holiday Monday, students pitched tents and erected anti-Israel signs outside the Pitts Rivers museum in Oxford as they demanded an end to violence in Gaza and the release of hostages.
At the same time, Cambridge students armed with tents, gazebos and sleeping bags set up on the front lawn of King’s College in protest against ‘Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza’.
The sit-in protests, which echo protests seen in the US, have sprang up at Russell Group universities including Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Sheffield and Newcastle over the last week.
At Oxford’s camp, named the ‘Liberated Zone’, students pinned up a board of six demands including calls to boycott Israeli genocide, stop banking with Barclays and help rebuild Gaza’s education system.
Cambridge for Palestine said it will ‘not move’ from the encampment until the university agrees to four demands including disclosing financial ties with complicit organisations and protecting students at risk.
CAMBRIDGE: Students set up an encampment in solidarity with Gaza this morning
OXFORD: They say ‘will not rest until their demands are met’, with study tents, toilet facilities, and food making areas already in place
The action comes after weeks of protests in American universities, with dozens of students arrested at the University of Virginia this morning. Pictured: Protesters at Oxford chanting
The protests seek to emulate those seen at American universities in recent weeks, where more than 130 college campuses have been targeted by pro-Palestine supporters.
These have resulted in growing disorder and unrest, with more than 2,000 arrests.
As Gaza protests continue to grow in the UK, the government has expressed ‘serious’ concerns they could escalate to violence, as witnessed in the US.
Just after 8am on Bank Holiday Monday, more than 50 protesters moved in on the front law of King’s College in Cambridge, armed with tents, gazebos and sleeping bags.
At the same time, students in Oxford declared a ‘liberated zone’ outside the Pitt Rivers Museum, which organisers claim held ‘a disturbing hoard of artefacts stolen from colonised peoples across the world’.
The encampments have been organised by groups Oxford Action for Palestine and Cambridge for Palestine, as well as several other smaller groups.
Alongside this they have argued that ‘Oxford men orchestrate occupation’, specifically blaming Alfred Milner and Cecil Rhodes, and that ‘Oxford men facilitate genocide’.
In a video published on X the group at Oxford can be heard chanting: ‘ We are the people. We will not be silenced. Stop the bombing now now now.’
A spokesperson at Oxford University told MailOnline there is ‘no place for intolerance’ and the protest must be carried out with ‘respect, courtesy and empathy’.
But adding that: ‘We respect our students and staff members right to freedom of expression in the form of peaceful protests.
‘Oxford University’s primary focus is the health and safety of the University community, and to ensure any impact on work, research and learning, including student exams, is minimised.
‘The Natural History Museum and the Pitt Rivers Museum remain open.’
Campers at Cambridge have argued that their university is ‘complicit in Genocide’ because of its ‘financial and academic ties’ to Israel.
CAMBRIDGE: Students gave speeches as they outlined their demands during sit-in protests
CAMBRIDGE: Protesters paint signs as they stage demonstrations on their university lawns, echoing similar encampments seen in the US
It claimed: ‘Cambridge University has over $46 million in defense industry partnerships, contributing to the manufacture of weapons that Israel has used to kill over 40,000 Palestinians, 40 per cent of whom are children, and to destroy every university in Gaza.’
Cambridge University has also been approached for comment.
This followers other Russell Group universities including Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Sheffield and Newcastle have pitched tents and erected anti-Israel signs as they call for an end to military action in the Gaza strip.
Students from Manchester University filled nearby Brunswick Park with banners, plaques and Palestinian flags to call for the university to ‘end it’s partnership with systems which support Israel’.
One banner read: ‘UOM blood on your hands’, while another claimed: ‘UOM supports Israeli Genocide.’
OXFORD: students have set up a base on the lawn of King’s College because the university ‘supports Israel ‘s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza’
OXFORD: The growing number of demonstrations have led to ‘serious’ government concerns that the campus protests could escalate to violence as witnessed in the US
In Bristol, hand-painted banners were erected between tents, emblazoned with messages of defiance as students lobbied their university to cut ties with arms companies and back calls for a ceasefire as the war rages on in the Levant.
Large crowds have also been forming in Newcastle, as students say their protest will ‘highlight the institution’s investment strategy and its complicity in the Israeli military’s war crimes in Gaza and the West Bank’.
At Newcastle University campers were entertained by a Palestinian DJ and received regular food supplies, as well as being given vouchers for free drinks at the university bar.
NEWCASTLE: Students say their protest ‘highlights the institution’s investment strategy and its complicity in the Israeli military’s war crimes in Gaza and the West Bank’
MANCHESTER: A protester gives a ‘peace’ sign at an encampment set up at Brunswick Park
BRISTOL: Fine arts student Sam was taking part at a protest at Bristol University last week
LEEDS: Students manning stalls and camping out at Leeds University last week
NEWCASTLE: Students gathered in front of the university as they protest in solidarity with Gaza on May 1
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said police will ‘have our full support’ to tackle potential disorder if students attempt to replicate the violent demonstrations recently seen at US university campuses.
The Jewish community leaders urged universities to shut down encampments over fears Jewish students may be ‘harassed and excluded’.
The spokesman for No 10 said: ‘We have always been clear that Jewish students must feel safe on campuses and whilst our universities rightfully pride themselves on their openness and tolerance and diversity it is obviously absolutely clear that any antisemitism shouldn’t be tolerated.
‘We’ve always been clear that people have a right to peaceful and lawful protest but clearly people shouldn’t abuse that right to intimidate others, cause unnecessary disruption.
‘Obviously the police already have extensive public order powers to tackle disorder at protests and will continue to have our full support in doing so if needed.’
