QUB investigating after video of freshers rocking the boat

Queen’s University Belfast has launched an investigation following a video which showed a number of students doing the ‘Rock the Boat’.

The incident is believed to have happened last Wednesday in the Treehouse social area of Elms.

The video has caused concern following the news last week that Elms – the central halls of residence for QUB students – has a number of its 3,000 students self-isolating, after testing positive for coronavirus.

This isn’t the first time students in South Belfast have come under fire, after a number of suspensions were made in the past few weeks because of a number of house parties taking place in the Holylands area.

A spokesperson for QUB said: “The University is aware of a video showing students on University premises breaching public health guidelines, putting their safety and the safety of those around them at risk”.

Criticising the students in question, they added that: “this is reckless and unacceptable behaviour and the University has launched an investigation into how this occurred. Disciplinary measures will be applied robustly with consequences that appropriately reflect the gravity of the situation”.

In a commitment to aim to prevent such public health guidance breaches repeating, the spokesperson noted that: “A number of interventions have been made immediately to ensure a similar situation is not allowed to happen again” and that: “The University will further consider the need for additional interventions that may be necessary in the interests of public health, safety and wellbeing.”

Following the video as well as number of other TikToks which have showed the action of Freshers 2020 unfolding, Registrar and Chief Operating Officer Joanne Clague, wrote to students in a plea to end videos like these emerging.

She said: “We recognise the difficult decisions that you have had to make in this most challenging year to be with us”. However; “This irresponsible and reckless behaviour is putting the health and wellbeing of other members of the Queen’s community at risk and can not be tolerated”

“It can not be over-emphasised how important it is that we all follow public health guidance.”

However, South Belfast Alliance MLA, Paula Bradshaw said that more work should have been done by the Universities to prepare for these incidents.

Responding to a concerned constituent on Twitter, the Alliance spokesperson for Health said: “We all know students love a good party/enjoy meeting new people”. However, she described how she was baffled that QUB did not ‘foresee that this behaviour would happen”.

The investigation to identify students in the video is ongoing.