Activists blockade University of Edinburgh Old College in Gaza protest

Jody Harrison

14 June 2024 at 4:59 am·2-min read

The protestors arrived at the gates this morning <i>(Image: PA)</i> — The protestors arrived at the gates this morning *(Image: PA)*

Activists have blocked the gates of one of Scotland’s oldest universities to protest its links to firms supplying Israel.

The campaigners, from the Edinburgh University Justice for Palestine Society (JPS), accuse the University of Edinburgh of indirectly supporting the war in Gaza through investments in tech companies which supply the Israeli military.

Previously, the group took over the University’s Old College lawn with an encampment, while 22 students went on hunger strike.

They are calling for the educational institution to end its links with Amazon and Alphabet Inc, who they claim have helped develop tech services deployed by Israeli intelligence.

A motion passed through the student council of divestment was passed with 97% vote in favour, while a letter in support of the encampment was signed by over 630 members of staff, and the JPS divestment petition currently has over 2100 signatories.

Fillamina, a postgraduate student at the University of Edinburgh who is part of the protest said, "This University has shown a blatant disregard for both the commitments it makes and urgency of the divestment demands and the situation in Gaza by omitting all the relevant information on Amazon and Alphabet.

“This directly contravenes the written commitment made by the Vice-Chancellor days before to make specific recommendations for divestment."

Fellow activist Youseff, a member of staff added: "The University's response to our demand for divestment and particularly to the student hunger strike has been a repeated bureaucratic stalling method with no commitment to genuine research and engagement with our urgent demands.

“Coming from a University which prides itself on academic expertise, this demonstrates a shocking lack of academic integrity."

The University of Edinburgh has been approached for comment.

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