Edinburgh University threatens legal action as pro-Palestine activists occupy second building

Students at the University of Edinburgh have occupied two prominent campus buildings as part of a pro-Palestine protest movement.

Edinburgh University Justice for Palestine Society (EUJPS) has occupied the Gordon Aikman lecture theatre and Appleton Tower.

The university has threatened legal action if the protesters do not leave.

Gordon Aikman has been locked down by EUJPS since the early hours of Tuesday morning while Appleton Tower appears to have been occupied during the early hours of Friday.

The society has occupied the buildings as part of a long-term campaign to pressure the university to divest from Israel-linked companies.

Gordon Aikman had been occupied since Tuesday

Announcing the Gordon Aikman occupation on Facebook, EUJPS said: “We are reclaiming this building in the name of martyr Adnan Al-Bursh.

“Al-Bursh was a healthcare worker wrongfully taken into custody in December of 2023 per his refusal to evacuate a hospital that was to be targeted by IOF [Israeli Occupation Forces] bombs.

“Taken to a detention camp and subsequently tortured by the IOF, he was later moved to the Israeli prison service in April of 2024 where he was martyred shortly after arrival. Adnan Al-Bursh’s death in custody is a result of the IOF’s war crimes unto Palestinian prisoners.

“We name this reclaimed building in his honour. May he resit in power. Glory to the martyrs”.

The statement goes on to say that there is “no business as usual during genocide”, calling for the university to divest from companies that are linked to Israel’s military and occupation of Palestinian territories.

Protesters have set up signs and flags in Appleton Tower

Announcing the Appleton Tower occupation, the group said: “We have reclaimed JAWAD ABU NASSAR TOWER (formerly Appleton Tower), alongside ADNAN AL BURSH BUILDING [Gordon Aikman].

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“Following continued impunity by Balfour University, students have reclaimed the building to reiterate the majority student demand.

“Divestment is inevitable. Liberation is unconditional. Shame on Balfour university. Meet our demands.”

The group is campaigning for divestment from firms like Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft and Leonardo, among others, that have been linked to Israel’s operations in Palestine. The university holds more than £25 million in investments in these companies.

Last year, Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, named the University of Edinburgh as one of “the most financially entangled” institutions in the UK to Israel.

The report stated: “The University of Edinburgh holds nearly £25.5 million (2.5 per cent of its endowment) in four tech giants – Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft and IBM – central to the Israeli surveillance apparatus and the ongoing Gaza destruction.

“With both direct and indexed investments, the university ranks among the most financially entangled institutions in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

“The university also partners with firms aiding Israeli military operations, including Leonardo S.p.A. and Ben-Gurion University, through the AI and Data Science Lab at Ben Gurion University, sharing research that directly links it with assaults on Palestinians.”

The occupations come after a series of over EUJPS protests, including occupying Gordon Aikman twice in 2024 and encampment at Old College which coincided with a hunger strike.

The society has also blockaded the entrances to various university buildings, disrupted career fairs and spray painted slogans like “Divest Now” on university buildings.

A University of Edinburgh spokesperson told The Tab Edinburgh: “Our students’ education is always our priority. While we respect the right to peaceful and lawful protest, occupying buildings and interfering with teaching and our students’ learning experience is unacceptable.

“Each day our buildings are occupied, thousands of students face their lectures and tutorials being disrupted at short notice – a situation that cannot be tolerated, particularly at such a crucial time in the academic year.

“We have asked those occupying the Gordon Aikman Lecture Theatre and Appleton Tower to leave. If our request is ignored, we will consider all legal action available to us to prevent further disruption.”