The University of Edinburgh has announced it will “cease to engage” with the Edinburgh University Justice for Palestine Society.
In a letter revealed by EUJPS on X last Thursday, the university’s senior leadership said the group had engaged in “bullying, intimidation and offensive behaviour” both online and on-campus.
In a statement to The Student, a university spokesperson said:
“The university has tried to engage in a dialogue with student protestors for some time. As the hostile and disruptive behaviour has not come to an end, the university will cease to engage with the group.”
Since 7 October, EUJPS’s “disruptive” protests have called for UoE to divest from companies linked to the genocide in Palestine and denouncement of historic ties to Israel.
Recent months have seen the group protest at the university’s careers events, block entry to its administrative hub, and most recently occupy the Gordon Aikman lecture theatre.
You can find our full coverage of the ongoing reclamation of the Gordon Aikman lecture theatre by EUJPS here.
The decision to end discussions comes after months of “disruptive” protests calling for UoE’s divestment from companies linked to the genocide in Palestine and denouncement of historic ties to Israel.
Justifying the decision to disengage, senior management point to two posts by the society that show the faces of the university’s Senior Leadership Team.
They added that investigations into individual students breaching the Student Code of Conduct had been opened.
In response, EUJPs said on 14 November that:
“When this is called out, the administration resorts to deflection and intimidation; issuing threats of disciplinary action, smears against our society, and even desecrating our martyrs’ memorial.”
Relations between EUJPS and the university have often been far from cordial, with an independent mediator brought in during the group’s 34-day encampment in the university’s Old College after students went on hunger strike.
EUJPS announced their plans to reciprocate by ceasing communication with the University of Edinburgh, saying in a 14 November Instagram post:
“JPS has exhausted every avenue of engagement with the university administration, hoping for a genuine response.
But after months of so-called ‘engagement,’ we’ve realised that the university’s calls for ‘dialogue’ are nothing more than a stalling tactic to contain us, not genuinely listen”
“If this is what they see as ‘engagement’ with our demands, then we want no part in it.”
Read Vice Principal Colm Harmon’s full email to EUJPS here.
Full statement from the University of Edinburgh below:
“The horror of the violence and loss of life in the Middle East has been felt deeply by many of our students and staff. While we respect the right to peaceful and lawful protest, this does not extend to the occupation of our buildings, or to the disruption of our students’ education, and we are clear that disciplinary action will be taken should our student code of conduct be breached.
“Everyone in our community has the right to study, work and share their opinions or feelings without feeling intimidated, either in person or online. Our priority is to ensure everyone at the University feels safe. We will continue, for as long as is necessary, to support those who are impacted and who have connections to the conflict. The University has tried to engage in a dialogue with student protestors for some time. As the hostile and disruptive behaviour has not come to an end, the University will cease to engage with the group.
“This will not impact our planned approach to review the University’s Responsible Investment Policy or to research partnerships.”
Image via Anna Claire Shuman