People and Planet Protesters To Face Uni Disciplinary Action

EUSA is supporting the protesters


Six students are facing disciplinary action from the University after taking part in a peaceful picket outside Charles Stewart House on 8 April.

The six students, all members of the campaign group People and Planet, are being investigated by the University for potential breaches of the Student Code of Conduct, although no official complaints have been made against them.

In a press release posted earlier this week, EUSA stated that they “fully support the students in question and will be working to ensure all students’ right to protest without fear is defended.”

It is believed the students were singled out for disciplinary action having been identified from a picture posted on social media.

One of the affected students, who wished to remain anonymous told EUSA: “The University’s decision to take disciplinary action on six students from People and Planet Edinburgh is massively inconsistent with its previous stance on similar student protests and the University’s policy in support of the right to peaceful and lawful protest – which is exactly what the nature of the protest we were engaged in was. The University appears to be selectively applying the Student Code of Conduct such that it is capitalizing on situations where it is possible to identify a smaller number of students and discipline them to discourage student activism.”

EUSA Vice President of Services, Urte Macikene, said: “This is an appalling attack on students’ rights. No student should have to fear for their wellbeing or status at university when protesting peacefully and lawfully.”

As members of campaign group People and Planet, the picket was a part of the campaign encouraging the University to divest from fossil fuels, which has been ongoing for over a year.