One week in: Warwick students re-establish pro-Palestine encampment on campus

Warwick Stands With Palestine (WSWP) has reinstated an encampment on University of Warwick campus.

Setting up tents and banners last week, students are again protesting against the university’s ties to weapons companies involved with Israel.

This comes after last year’s encampment, which was the first of its kind in the UK, lasting over 60 days.

The demonstration on the lawn outside of Senate House was set up at around 2am on 14th May and is almost seven days strong.

In a statement, the group explained that it is “taking matters into our own hands.” It read: “We are here to show the university that their commitment to genocide is not acceptable and will be challenged… We are reclaiming the university as a space for peace and education, not war and genocide.

“We are rallying to support the people of Palestine’s ability to remain steadfast while also demanding that Warwick ends its 100 million pounds of ties with weapons companies.”

WSWP has also called on the university council to implement the “ethical principles for research funding and partnerships” when it meets on the 21^st of May to review its ethical framework for academic partnerships. These principles were approved by the university last year following pressure from students and staff.

The agreement outlines that the university will not “engage in research projects with companies directly associated with human rights violations”.

The group has called on the university to divest its ties with multiple companies, adding in its statement posted on Instagram: “We will not rest until Warwick has divested ties to war crimes and genocide, and until Palestine is free from the river to the sea.”

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The group had previously established an encampment at the university last academic year, becoming the first student encampment of its kind in the UK. The encampment was established on the Piazza last April, before moving to the lawn in front of Senate House. This first iteration of the encampment lasted 60 days.

WSWP stood down the encampment on 26th June, claiming that it was “in the strategic interest of our coalition to redirect our energy”. The group added days later, however, that they would be ready to employ “similar means in the future” if negotiations fell through with the university.

The encampment was not the only form of protest by the group — following the dissolution of the encampment, it continued to disrupt university events to demand that the university take action, including a university careers fair in October and the 60th birthday celebrations in January. It also conducted a 13 day occupation of Warwick Manufacturing Group’s International Digital Library.

The WSWP statement concludes with: “We are here to show that the students, staff and community of Warwick support Palestine wholeheartedly. Following the steadfastness of our Palestinian comrades, students and staff will not stop pushing for the university to divest from companies complicit in war crimes, occupation, and genocide.

“We urge all of you to come to the encampment to see the many ways you can join us. Together we are stronger.”

A Warwick spokesperson said: “We continue to manage this encampment in line with our legal duty and commitment to freedom of speech, and fully respect people’s right to lawful and peaceful protest.

“Ensuring the wellbeing and safety of our community is our top priority. We continue to offer advice and help to all our students and staff through our support services.”