GAAF occupies University of Glasgow building in a protest against institution policies

The Glasgow Against Arms and Fossil Fuels movement (GAAF) are currently occupying Hetherington House to demand that the University of Glasgow sever all ties with the arms industry.

GAAF started their occupation at 11 University Gardens yesterday as a show of resistance against UofG’s “complicity” with regards to Israel’s attacks on Palestine, and have urged students to join them in protest.

The 12 students involved in the occupation placed signs in the windows reading “free Palestine” and “end the occupation” and hoisted a pink banner outside one of the building’s upper windows.

In a recent post this morning from the society’s Instagram, GAAF stated they are set to meet the Glasgow University finance team on Wednesday to discuss the possibility of divestment. In the meantime, the activists remain in occupancy of Hetherington House.

via @gaafmovement

The activists have also been working alongside fellow societies at Glasgow University, such as UofG Solidarity and GU Palestine. The events of the protest coincide with British-Palestinian, Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah, who is running for the currently vacant rector position at the University of Glasgow.

The award-winning plastic surgeon is said to “present Glasgow University students with the opportunity to declare their opposition to Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, to stand against the complicity of the UK government, and stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine.”

The GAAF movement also has a fundraiser via their Instagram account, which is going towards Medical Aid for Palestinians.

There will be further protests commencing on Wednesday 24th January, where the movement aims to “demonstrate the wide breadth of support for arms divestment”. The protest is taking place at 11 University Gardens at midday.

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The University of Glasgow has released the following statement: “The university has taken the decision not to invest in tobacco companies, and we have actively disinvested in those dealing in fossil fuels over recent years. Only a small proportion of income currently derives from companies involved in the defence sector; any further decisions on divestment must go through the university’s governance process, and the matter will be considered by a committee of the University’s Court.”

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