Gaza Solidarity Encampments in Britain

by Notes from Below (@NotesFrom_Below)
May 2, 2024

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Gaza Solidarity Encampments in Britain
by Notes from Below / May 2, 2024

Reports from campus organising for Palestine


Almost a month after the Gaza Solidarity Encampment was set up in Columbia University on 17 April, a slew of UK universities have followed suit. Starting with the University of Warwick in late April, eight universities have established solidarity encampments for Gaza, pressing their institutions for divestment. Most of these encampments were erected as part of the global day of action for Palestine on May Day, joining numerous solidarity actions such as Workers for a Free Palestine’s blockades of the UK Trade Department in London and BAE Systems’ arms factories in Scotland, Wales and Lancashire.

University of Warwick

Students at the University of Warwick started an encampment on the Piazza on campus on the 26th of April.

University of Bristol

Students at the University of Bristol started an encampment on Royal Fort Gardens on the 1st of May.

University of Leeds

Students at the University of Leeds started an encampment on campus on the 1st of May.

University of Newcastle

Students at the University of Newcastle started an encampment on campus on the 1st of May.

University of Manchester

Students at the University of Manchester started an encampment at Brunswick Park on campus on the 1st of May.

University of Sheffield

Students at the University of Sheffield started an encampment on campus on the 1st of May.

Swansea University

Students at Swansea University started an encampment on campus on the 1st of May.

Goldsmiths, University of London

Students at Goldsmiths have been occupying university buildings, including the library from the 1st until 3rd of May.

They ended their second occupation on 3rd of May after reaching an agreement with university management around their demands.

University College London

Students at UCL have been occupying buildings and started an encampment on the UCL campus on the 2nd of May.

During a demonstration on the 4th of May, 4 Palestine supporters from Camden Friends of Palestine were arrested outside the student encampment.

University of Edinburgh

Students at the University of Edinburgh have been involved in an encampment outside the parliament buildings. Then, on the 5th of May, students started an encampment at Old College on campus.

University of Cambridge

Students at Cambridge started an encampment on campus on the 6th of May, outside King’s College.

On 15th of May, they escalated by starting a second solidarity encampment on the Senate House lawn.

University of Oxford

Students at Oxford started an encampment on the lawn of the University of Oxford Pitt Rivers Museum on the 6th of May.

University of Aberdeen

Students in Aberdeen started an encampment on Elphinstone lawn on 6th of May.

University of Liverpool

Students in Liverpool started an encampment on Abercromby Square on the 6th of May.

SOAS

Students at SOAS set up the “SOAS Liberated Zone” on the SOAS Green after a 200-strong demonstration on 6th of May.

Queen’s University Belfast

On 7th of May, students occupied the main Lanyon building at Queens University Belfast, putting six demands towards the university management.

Bangor

On 8th of May, students at Bangor University in Wales started a solidarity encampment on the front lawn of the Pontio building.

University of Birmingham

On 9th of May, students at the University of Birmingham started a solidarity encampment on the Green Heart, with five demands directed at their university management. It has been backed by both the Birmingham UCU and UNISON branches.

University of Leicester

Students at the University of Leicester set up a solidarity encampment at their university on 9th of May. They were immediately endorsed by the local UCU branch.

Lancaster

Students at Lancaster University set up a solidarity encampment in Alexandra Square on 9th of May.

Durham

On 10th of May, students at Durham University set up the “Durham Liberated Zone” on the Palace Green lawn.

University of Kent

Students at the University of Kent started a solidarity encampment on 10th of May.

University of Nottingham

Students at the University of Nottingham started a solidarity encampment on the Jubilee campus on 11th of May.

University of Lincoln

On 13th of May, students at the University of Lincoln set up a “decolonised zone” in solidarity with Gaza outside the Lincoln Art’s Centre, renaming it “Refaat Square”.

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A post shared by University of Lincoln Palestine Solidarity Society (@uolpalestine)

University of Sussex

On 13th of May, students at the University of Sussex launched a Gaza solidarity encampment in Library Square, renaming it “Liberation Square”.

Queen Mary University of London

On 13th of May, after a mass demonstration, students at Queen Mary University of London launched a Gaza solidarity encampment.

Kings College London

On 13th of May, students at KCL set up a Gaza solidarity encampment on their campus.

Penryn Campus

On 13th of May, students at the Penryn Campus in Cornwall, used by both Falmouth University and University of Exeter, set up a solidarity encampment outside The Exchange.

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A post shared by @falexsolidaritycamp

University of Exeter

This was followed on 14th of May, with students at the University of Exeter’s main campus setting up the “Exeter Liberated Zone” on the Queen’s Drive Green, putting forward four demands to their university management.

LSE

On 14th of May, after a mass student-staff assembly to release their “LSE Assets in Apartheid” report, LSE students occupied the Marshall Building, setting up a Palestine solidarity encampment inside.

University of York

On 15th of May, students at the University of York set up a Gaza solidarity encampment in front of Heslington Hall.

Cardiff University

On 15th of May, students at Cardiff University set up a Gaza solidarity encampment.

UAL

UAL students occupied the reception area of their Central Saint Martins campus in solidarity with Palestine on 15th of May. This happened after a protest outside UAL’s High Holborn head offices earlier in the day.

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A post shared by Southwark & Lambeth 4 Palestine (@southldn4pal)

Updating this list

If you are part of a student encampment or want to add another entry, please contact us. We are keen to update the list and add reports where possible.

Contact us here

author

Notes from Below (@NotesFrom_Below)

The Editorial collective of Notes from Below.

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