Sheffield pro-Palestine protest encampment evicted from campus after 92 days

The Palestine protest encampment outside Sheffield Students’ Union has ended after 92 days.

At just after 5am this morning, bailiffs arrived at the camp accompanied by five police officers.

The bailiffs dismantled the camp, removing tents, placards and a sculpture depicting bloodied Palestinian babies.

The camp was removed calmly and without disruption in around half an hour. The three protestors who were at the camp at the time left peacefully.

Bailiffs at the camp this morning, dismantling a sculpture depicting bloodied Palestinian babies

Last Friday, a court handed down a possession order, requiring protestors to leave the site.

The possession order was served to the camp on Monday by a high court enforcement officer. According to protest organisers, the officer told them police would come to remove them if they did not pack up.

The possession order served to protestors on Monday

As late as yesterday, protestors from the group Sheffield Campus Coalition for Palestine maintained that they would not end their encampment until their demands were met.

But they did tell The Sheffield Tab they were concerned about the threat of bailiffs.

The protestors have continued to hold regular events since the possession order was granted, such as a rally last Saturday and a film screening last night.

A protestor, who did not wish to be named, said yesterday: “We’re not intending to decamp. The University of Sheffield is particularly complicit. We feel a huge sense of responsibility to have the university respond.”

After the court’s judgement last Friday, protestors also stated that they had aimed to become the UK’s longest running encampment. They passed that milestone earlier this week.

The encampment has been in place since May 1st and is calling for the University of Sheffield to divest from the arms manufacturing industry and cut all ties with Israeli universities, as well as companies from a variety of sectors that have operations in Israel.

The encampment on its first day in May

In May, the group published a “Genocide and Apartheid Complicity Report” detailing its claims about the university and outlining their greivances.

The protesters say that they have not received any substantive engagement from the University of Sheffield on their demands.

In an email sent last week to students, Rob Sykes, the university’s chief operating officer, pointed out that the university is engaging with the Students’ Union on their “Another University is Possible” campaign which includes aims to democratise and demilitarise the University of Sheffield.

In recent weeks, the camp has been manned by increasingly small numbers of protestors. Yesterday afternoon, only one tent remained for those staying at the camp overnight and only two protestors were present outside Sheffield Students’ Union. The small number of protestors that have been manning the camp was likely what enabled the eviction to go ahead peacefully and without disruption this morning.

The camp yesterday, with only one tent remaining

Despite reduced participation in the protest encampment compared to during term time, the group said yesterday that they were ensuring that as members move in and out of the encampment over the day, numbers remained sufficient to ensure safety.

They had been to helped to maintain a presence by non-student protest organisations in Sheffield.

Protestors from cycling protest organisation Big Ride for Palestine and members of the Sheffield branch of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign have been present at the camp since it began.

Protestors from Big Ride for Palestine at the encampment during a demonstration for Nakba Day on May 15th

The University of Sheffield has consistently pointed out the involvement of protestors from outside the student community as evidence that the protest encampment had become a target for those from beyond the student body to attack the university.

In the judgement last Friday, Judge Baddley said that he had to grant the possession order, given no defence had been offered.

The case was brought by the university’s lawyers, CMS, against “persons unknown”.

Protest organisers say they had declined to defend themselves in court due to their concerns about disciplinary actions that could be brought against them, should individuals be named as defendants. 

In last week’s email to students, the university outlined why they took legal action against the encampment: “Please be assured that this action has not been taken lightly. Despite numerous attempts to enable a peaceful protest, we must take action to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our students, staff and visitors, and to ensure that there are no further risks to the University’s business.”

The email also claimed there had been instances of damage to university property.

The Sheffield Campus Coalition for Palestine said last week that the University of Sheffield was making “false claims” and using “bad faith concerns” in their legal action over their duty to promote a non-hostile environment and hostility to Jewish students.

Since October 7th, there has been a marked increase in protests related to the conflict in the Middle East in the UK, and while this was associated with reports of intimidation during the general election, there have been no concrete reports or evidence about intimidation or antisemitism relating to Sheffield’s protest encampment.

In a witness statement, given in evidence as part of the case, Deputy Chief Operating Officer (Student), Michelle Nolan said: “For the avoidance of doubt, it is the University’s position that setting up an encampment and taking over possession of the University’s premises does not constitute a lawful exercise of freedom of speech.”

An Instagram post by Sheffield Campus Coalition for Palestine celebrating 90 days of the encampment. Via @palestine.sccp on Instagram

Protestors involved with the encampment have asked not be named when speaking to The Sheffield Tab and other media outlets. They have also blurred their faces in social media posts.

They have said they have concerns about their safety and surveillance.

A protestor said: “It’s for personal safety, students don’t feel comfortable with all these disciplinary threats.”

Another added: “It’s just another layer of protection.”

Last year, a freedom of information request by The Tab uncovered invoices showing that the University of Sheffield spent just under £40,000 investigating students associated with protest occupations.

A recent social media post showing protestors with blurred face. Via @palestine.sccp on Instagram

The university has continually reiterated its support for freedom of protest and its concern with student safety.

In an email to students in May, vice-president for education Mary Vincent said: “While we are committed to protecting and promoting freedom of speech within the law, we also have a duty to ensure our campus is safe and welcoming for our students, staff and visitors. Those protesting are expected to do so with respect, empathy, and consideration to those around them.”

In May, the number of student protest encampments in the UK peaked at 36, but almost none remain as students return home for the summer and encampments face similar legal actions from universities.

In recent weeks, encampments in Nottingham, Bristol and a number of other universities have closed after facing possession orders.

The encampment at the University of Cambridge was ended after after the university promised to engage with protestors’ demands and to explore their questions about university policy.

The University of York announced in April it would no longer hold investments in weapons and defence related companies.

The University of Sheffield has received more than £70 million from arms manufacturing companies since 2012.

As part of the university’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre it partners with a number of British arms manufacturing companies to conduct research and provide teaching to students.

The percentage of Israeli’s military imports that come from UK companies is, however, small. According to the BBC, the value of British arms exports to Israel amounted to only £42 million in 2022, much less than the US, Germany and even Italy, which only accounts for 0.9 per cent of the weapons Israel buys from the international market.

In messages seen by The Sheffield Tab, protestors expressed their reactions to the eviction this morning.

One said: “Repression fuels our desire to fight back, we will not stop, for the sanctity of the blood of our loved ones in Palestine that the University have spilled.”

In a tweet, Dr Annapurna Menon from the Department of Politics and International Relations said “The Sheffield encampment might have been “evicted” today, but this isn’t over. The university of Sheffield is complicit in the genocide of Palestinians through its links with BAE, Boeing etc and we will not forget. Our solidarity with Palestinians is ever stronger.”

Supporters of the encampment have reacted on social media. Via @Annapurnamenon on X