Green Party politicians write open letter to Principal Ed Byrne

Following the recent divest demontrations


In an open letter, elected members of the Green Party urged Principal Ed Byrne to, “consider speaking with the students and staff who support divestment.”

The letter highlighted that 96 per cent of King’s students were in favour of divestment from fossil fuel companies. In a freedom of information request made in 2013 revealed that the university has investments of at least eight million pounds in fossil fuel companies.

Non-Executive Director of Royal Dutch Shell, Sir Nigel Sheinwald has been a member of the university Council since 2014 and is also a member of the Chairman’s Committee.

In the past few months, members of King’s College Climate Emergency have organised protests and symbolic hunger-strikes.

The group has come under fire for chalk-spraying parts of Strand including the Great Hall foyer which lead to arrests and emergency suspensions.

Last week,  divest campaigner and Phd student Roger Hallam’s suspension was overturned.

In a statement he said that he is being reinstated, “on the condition of not continuing to disrupt.”

Further action planned for Saturday 1pm.