KCL students launch encampment on the Strand Quad in support of Palestine

Students from King’s College London, organised by the KCLStands4Justice group, have launched an encampment in support of Palestine.

The students are currently occupying the Strand Quadrangle, between The Dickson Poon School of Law and the King’s building, where they have pledged to stay until King’s College London meets their demands.

In a video posted to the KCLStands4Justice Instagram account, the group expressed their demands for the university to divest from all investments into “corporations and arms manufacturers complicit in Israeli apartheid and genocide” as well as a commitment from KCL to withdraw investments from all 10 companies banned by the UN.

This is the second time that the student-led group has hosted an encampment, with the first being a year ago, when other universities across the UK took part in similar forms of protest.

Image: KCLStands4Justice

Another post on the group’s Instagram account cited the university’s failure to respond to these demands over the past year and what they described as “KCL management’s abject moral failure” being the reason for launching a second encampment.

On May 13, the university sent an email to students containing a statement regarding the peaceful protest. Senior vice president, James Cook, said: “As a university our role is to offer a safe, welcoming and supportive environment. It is also important that our students and staff feel they can exercise their right to freedom of speech and protest. We expect that constructive disagreement and dialogue is voiced with civility and within the law and in line with our contentious events and protests.”

Most Read

Paul is apparently dating someone after MAFS Australia and erm, you might recognise her

A deep dive into Carina Mirabile’s many, many attempts at fame before MAFS Australia

The creepy real reason Netflix removed this Black Mirror episode over the weekend

However, despite the university expressing it’s support for freedom of speech, the email acknowledged that the encampment is being monitored: “The protest as it currently stands is not consistent with our policy and we are addressing this.”

Students are currently unable to sign in visitors into the Quadrangle area and are encouraged by King’s to have their lanyard with them at all times.

King’s management has issued the students an eviction notice, warning them of the consequences if they do not comply.

However, the KCLStands4Justice group expressed on Instagram that they will not be moved.

Hanna Kienzler, Professor of Global Health, has since sent an open email to vice chancellor professor Shitij Kapur, voicing her support for the students. She praised them for having “created a space for learning, organising, and peaceful protest in solidarity with Palestinians.”

Instead of evicting the students, she urged the vice chancellor to “meet with them, listen, and find constructive ways to support their demands.”

A King’s College London spokesperson said: “We fully support the right of our students and staff to express their right to freedom of speech and protest and we have offered the students help to enable them to peacefully protest in the Quad within both the law and our university policies which help to maintain a safe campus for all.

“The current protest breaches two elements of our policy and we have written to students requiring them to remove their tents and adjust their protest to within the hours of normal operating hours (8am – 10pm), and we will continue to engage with them to encourage them to observe our policies for protest, while members of the Senior Leadership Team are also listening to their concerns and demands.”

The Embassy of Israel did not respond to a request for comment 

Featured image courtesy of KCLStands4Justice