The Edinburgh University Justice for Palestine Society occupied the Gordon Aikman Lecture Theatre on Monday night to demand divestment from Israeli-linked companies.
In an Instagram post on Tuesday morning, the group criticised the University of Edinburgh’s “shameful complicity” in genocide and “colonial expansion into Lebanon”.
EUJPS also condemned the university’s “increasing censorship and suppression of Palestinian and pro-Palestinian voices”.
In a statement plastered on the doors of the Gordon Aikman Theatre, EUJPS said that “this reclamation is the latest of the many acts of solidarity with the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples”.
“The university’s inaction is in direct breach of international law as per the International Court of Justice’s ruling on plausible genocide in Gaza.”
The statement reiterated EUJPS’s list of demands from the University, including offering scholarships to Palestinian students impacted by the genocide and denouncing the historic relationship the university has with Israel.
The group revealed late last week that the university had ceased “all engagement” with them, following protests at the university’s administrative hub and careers fairs.
In a letter posted by EUJPS, Vice Principal Student Colm Harmon cited the group’s “use of offensive language and threatening behaviour” towards the institution’s senior leadership.
EUJPS labelled Harmon’s comments as “smears and accusations”.
On Tuesday, the group repeated their call for divestment from firms like Amazon and Alphabet. They also demanded that the university to “sever its ties” with Israeli-universities and weapons contracts, and provide scholarships for Palestinian students.
Vice-Chancellor Sir Peter Mathieson announced a pause in the purchase of new Amazon and Alphabet stock in May following the group’s 34-day encampment in the Old College Quad.
According to a report from June 2024, the university held £5,857,091 and £3,360,683 worth of Amazon and Alphabet stocks respectively.
An open letter from the university’s branch of the Amnesty International Society reiterated calls for divestment and has been signed by over 55 university societies, including The Student.
The university is currently reviewing its Responsible Investment Policy however was unable to provide The Student with a timeline for the review’s completion.
Analysis published by EUJPS during their Old College encampment criticised the university’s participation in the University Defence Research Collaboration (UDRC) and its exchange program with Ben-Gurion University.
The document states that the UDRC is “tied to companies involved in violations of Palestinian rights”.
From 2018 to 30 June 2024, the university worked alongside Heriot-Watt University, University of Strathclyde and Queen’s University Belfast to research signal processing for use in the defence industry.
In their Instagram post, EUJPS renamed the Gordon Aikman Lecture Theatre Kanafani Hall, presumably in reference to Palestinian novelist Ghassan Kanafani.
Kanafani was a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine who was assassinated by Mossad in 1972.
The lecture theatre was renamed in 2018 in honour of Business School Graduate and Motor Neurone Disease campaigner, Gordon Aikman.
A University of Edinburgh spokesperson said: “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.”
This is an ongoing story.
Read our recent article to learn more about a University Court’s decision around divestment
Image via Sam Marks