Pro-Palestine protesters occupy Edinburgh’s Gordon Aikman Lecture Theatre

Pro-Palestine protesters occupied Edinburgh University’s Gordon Aikman lecture theatre late on Monday night.

Banners and flags were hung at the windows of the lecture theatre as well as posters saying “Divest Now” and “Edinburgh University promotes warfare instead of healthcare”.

The protest, organised by the Edinburgh University Justice for Palestine Society (EUJPS), comes after more than a year of protest by EUJPS, including an occupation of Gordon Aikman in February.

A university spokesperson told The Tab: “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.”.

Earlier this month, protesters organised a sit-in protest at the university’s main library, and have staged a number of other protests this semester which have disrupted two university ran careers fairs, as well as blocking the entrances to the university’s finance building.

In October, the university’s legal governing body, Court, delayed a decision on changing the university’s responsible investment policy following months of protest from pro-Palestine groups over the university’s investments in companies alleged to have ties to the Israeli military and the ongoing war in Gaza.

Following months of protest, the university suspended all new purchases of shares in some of the companies EUJPS have been campaigning against, this decision however fell short of divestment.

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Since October 7 2023, EUJPS have organised a number of protests including weekly demonstrations to protest the university’s investments. Last year, graduations were disrupted by protesters and a hunger strike was carried out by members taking part in an encampment in the Old College Quad.

An EUJPS spokesperson said: The reclamation is the latest of the many acts of solidarity with the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples on this campus since the outset of the genocide in Gaza, which has now expanded to Lebanon and across the region at large”.

A university spokesperson said: “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 protesters 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.”.

An EUJPS spokesperson told The Tab: “For over a year now, we have tried every possible bureaucratic avenue to achieve divestment, but, the University time and time again continues to fail to uphold these democratic decisions. The university has left us with no choice but to continue to engage with non-bureaucratic channels of action to hold it accountable.”

They continue: “We condemn the university’s increasing censorship and suppression of pro-Palestinian voices on our campus.”

They call for further action against the university, saying: “We call on all students, societies and organisations to hold the university accountable for its complicity, and echo the call for divestment from companies”.

The full EUJPS statement, including a list of demands sent to the university, can be accessed here.