Pro-Palestine protesters stage sit-in calling for Cambridge University arms divestment

Cambridge4Palestine has staged a sit-in at Cambridge University lecture site calling for the university’s divestment from arms companies.

The group of around 50 Cambridge students gathered on the Sidgwick Site lawn this morning (Wednesday 28th January) in anticipation of a university council vote about potential divestment from arms companies, scheduled to take place on Monday 2nd February.

During the protest, the group displayed Palestinian flags and chanted slogans of “Free Palestine”.

Ahead of the protest, the pro-Palestine student activist group Cambridge4Palestine distributed flyers, claiming the university had “blood on its hands” due to its continued enabling of the conflict in Israel and Gaza.

On the flyer, the group raised concerns about the impact the war has had on the environment, arguing: “Cambridge University cannot claim to be at the forefront of climate solutions whilst it is complicit in an ecocide.”

Speaking to The Cambridge Tab on behalf of Cambridge4Palestine, a protester said: “Students are heavily in favour of divestment from arms. In a referendum last term (at the Student Union), students had upwards of 4000 votes in favour of divestment. We are here to remind them of their duty of care to their students and community.”

The protester stressed the sit-in “is not about the region”, and its purpose instead is to “ask our educational institution not to put money into weapons”.

One student who witnessed the sit-in while at the Sidgwick Site said: “I really like what they stand for, I agree with the sentiment, but I tend to avoid being near these type of things, because I want a job.”

The Cambridge4Palestine group expressed concern over journalistic coverage of the protest, asking The Cambridge Tab not to photograph their unmasked faces incase their identities were leaked.

Cambridge University, the Israeli Embassy and Cambridge4Palestine have been contacted for comment.