DUP association write to Queen's University to raise concerns following Clinton protest

The DUP Association at Queen's University have written to the university management to express their concerns following a protest against a visit by the university chancellor Hillary Clinton to Belfast last week.

Three men aged 18, 20 and 21 were charged with resisting police following the protest on the university campus on Thursday.

The 18-year-old man has also been charged with obstructing police and the 21-year-old charged with obstructing police and assault on police.

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They are due to appear in court on December 12. A fourth man, aged 57, was arrested and later released without charge. Police have said that a number of their officers were injured at the protest.

In a statement issued on Monday evening, the Democratic Unionist Association (DUA) raised concerns about student safety and staff intimidation at the university.

"In light of recent events at QUB, we in the Democratic Unionist Association (DUA) Committee wish to express our concerns about an increasingly divisive atmosphere on campus. We are especially concerned about student safety, staff intimidation, and the increasingly one-sided nature of discussion of certain topics.

"While we affirm the right to freedom of assembly and peaceful protest, the scenes of last Thursday's demonstration against Chancellor Clinton's visit were unflattering and unrepresentative of the wider student body.

"Many are concerned about the demonstration descending into violence, the use of chanting directed against police, university staff, and political leaders, and the creation of an atmosphere where the angriest, loudest voices are treated as the most valid. Sadly, this is not the vision of an open, inclusive environment for public discourse that we believe QUB can and should be.

"Consequently, we have addressed correspondence to university senior management outlining our concerns. We want to underline our commitment to ensuring Queen's is an open forum for discussion between students of different political perspectives and persuasions while maintaining the safety of students and staff in going about their day-to- day studies and work without the fear of reputational or physical harm coming their way for holding a different viewpoint."

Queen's University have been contacted for comment.

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