Yahoo News Inside the pro-Palestine group occupying Warwick University campus
Part of Warwick University has been transformed as a sea of tents form an encampment of students. Students at the university, on the edge of Coventry, were among the first in the UK to occupy their campus, following a number of protest sites at US institutions. They've been there since April 26.
Tents have been set up outside the Senate House, the supreme academic authority of the university as students under the coalition Warwick Stands With Palestine call on the institution to cut financial ties with arms companies, who they say are funding military weaponry for Israel.
We went to Warwick University to speak to the students and find out more about their demands, how the encampment works and what it means for Jewish students.
One student who is part of the group, Sophie, says the coalition is part of a 'wider global movement' with around 100 students who camp out on shifts, which has gained lots of 'staff and community support'. The group 'centre the genocide' that's going on in Palestine in 'everything they do'.
The students are urging the university to meet their four main demands: to divest, condemn, pledge, and protect. Sophie explained: "We want the university to divest from all arms companies, condemn the Israeli genocide, pledge to protect Palestinian students on campus, rebuild Palestinian universities and offer scholarships, and protect students who are protesting to have the right to freedom of speech."
In terms of what the university has said so far, Sophie explained that the group had a 'low-level management meeting' but there was 'nobody with any real power' present: "This meeting was around three weeks ago and they said they wouldn't meet us again until this week, but they have failed to meet our demands and have any serious conversation with us thus far."
Another Warwick Stands with Palestine member, Fraser Amos claims the university 'refuses to accept' that students' education is 'complicit' with the killing of over 35,000 Palestinians. He added: "Israel is waging a genocidal war on Gaza with arms produced by companies closely tied to our university.
"We believe universities should foster peace and learning, not war and genocide and we intend to step up the pressure on our university until it breaks all financial, research, and other ties with complicit arms companies."
The encampment was originally formed at The Piazza, located close to Warwick Student's Union to disrupt Eurovision from May 7 to May 11. Every year, the university displays a huge TV screen and plays the song contest for students to watch. During this year's competition Israeli singer Eden Golan was reportedly confined to her hotel room after a series of threats.
"We wanted to disrupt that because this year, there was an Israeli singer who got to perform, but when Russia invaded Ukraine, they weren't allowed in the contest. After we disrupted that, we moved opposite the Senate House where they have important board and council meetings, plus it's more of a central spot on campus and there was more room for expansion of tents."
During my visit to the encampment, I also spoke to some students across the campus about their views of the encampment and the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Aneesa Mahmood said the encampment is a good way to 'get our voices heard': "My social media is inundated with the war between Israel and Palestine, and it's heartbreaking to watch innocent women and young children die. I think what the students are doing is brave and I hope the university listens to our needs. Anything to help the people of Palestine is worth it," she said.
Mark Samadi, who joined one of the university's Pro-Palestine protests, added: "There's been so much happening on campus from sit-ins, demonstrations, and talks with experts and it's helped me learn more about the global movement. The protests have been peaceful but it's time for them to be effective and change how the university operates."
Even though the UK has so far avoided the clashes between police and protestors seen in America, it has raised concerns for some Jewish students as being an addition to the rise in antisemitism. According to the Communities Security Trust, which aims to tackle antisemitism in the UK, the number of antisemitic incidents at the UK's 142 universities tripled last year as tensions increased over the Israel-Hamas war.
However, organisers of Warwick Stands with Palestine claim they 'do not stand for any type of discrimination'. Sophie said: "We do not stand for any discrimination at this camp as it's firmly embedded in our constitution, values, and the way we practice every day.
"Jewish students are welcome here, we have Jewish student members in our encampment and we also hold Shabbat services every Friday. This is a space for anyone - we are anti all forms of oppression which include anti-semitisim."
In terms of the community in camp, the students have meals together and have teach-out sessions that include political education, mutual care, and community building, where they always reflect on what's going on in Gaza while revising and completing assignments.
"We will camp for as long as it takes. We are inspired by the global movement and the people in Palestine, and we are not going to rest until the Palestine people achieve freedom," Sophie said.
A spokesperson for Warwick University said: "The University Council met on May 22. They discussed the recent campus demonstrations, a petition on the Middle East conflict, and the Students’ Union paper on ‘demilitarisation’.
"This is a difficult time for members of our community with so many of us having seen and heard about the humanitarian impact of the current conflict in the Middle East. Since last October, many differing opinions have been expressed. During this time, the University has urged our community to act with kindness and empathy, even when a view differs from their own – the Council reinforced this in their discussions.
"Whilst the University undertakes work with the defence sector, including the research supporting the transition to a low-carbon and more sustainable world, it does not hold contracts leading to the direct manufacturing or assembly of offensive weaponry or capabilities."
According to the health ministry of the Hamas-run territory, more than 35,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 7. In Israel, the official death toll stands at around 1,200. In addition the BBC has reported that 125 Israeli civilian hostages who were taken in the October 7 attack remain unaccounted for. At least 37 of these are presumed dead.
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, at least 512 people have been killed in the occupied West Bank, including 127 children.
For more information about Warwick Stands with Palestine, follow their Instagram page @warwickstandswithpalestine and on X at @wwkstandspal.
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