Glasgow University Palestine protestors must be dealt with

The Herald Scotland

3 days ago

As someone who has spent the past three years studying History at the University of Glasgow, I believe that in almost every instance, it has been peaceful campaigning that has fostered real societal change, rather than any violent counterpart.
In recent months, Glasgow University Justice for Palestine Society (GUJPS) have increased the volume and severity of their direct action campaign against the university over continued investment in arms companies.
Multiple buildings have been occupied and vandalised, University Avenue has been blocked to vehicles, and students and staff have been intimidated by masked youths over dissenting opinions.
GUJPS were predictably unhappy about Home Secretary Yvette Cooper's proposed proscription of Palestine Action.
A Glasgow student was briefly banned from campus after spraypainting a building. (Image: Youth Demand) They took to Instagram to write: 'The student movement and Palestine Action are two fronts of one struggle for liberation. As the student movement for Palestine, we will continue to organise to make it untenable for our universities to maintain their ties with zionism.'
Perhaps it comes from a cynical place, but the proscription of Palestine Action can only be a good thing, not only for nationwide security, but for the safety of university students.
I have been involved in student journalism for the past two years. Much of this time has been spent reporting on protests against the University's ongoing investment in the arms trade.
Earlier groups of protestors, whilst clearly angry, would use banners and leaflets and organise marches in order to gain the University's attention. Their faces remained visible and they would happily communicate with student media, and perhaps slightly less happily, with University Management.
As far as I'm aware, they remained within the law and the Code of Student Conduct.
It is no mystery why the scale and severity of these protests has increased. It is understandable that these campaigners, and their successors, are frustrated that the University has maintained their ties to the arms trade, in clear opposition to the wishes of the vast majority of the student body.
However, it is frankly unforgivable these protests have been met with undeniable apathy from both the University and Police Scotland.
Despite the major increase in the severity of protests, which are often blatantly illegal and put students and members of the public in harm's way, the University and police have taken little to no action.
In the previous academic year, two students were banned from campus, one being allowed to return following a small fine. The University took no further action against scores of students violating their campus. Furthermore, Police Scotland only reprimanded one student, despite the barrage of illegal activity.
Ex-MP Michael Gove was heckled at an event last year. (Image: PA) It is miraculous that no one has been seriously injured during the escalation of recent months. One protest which, to me, demonstrates the danger of indifference from authorities, was outside an event where Michael Gove and Humza Yousaf were discussing life after politics.
Protestors booed at anyone entering the building, shouting they 'had blood on their hands.'
Of course they were well within their rights to protest Michael Gove's presence on campus. However, police and University security made no effort to ensure that those who wished to attend the event safely could also access their right to do so.
Gove himself was escorted out of a back door by police and security, for his own safety. At the time, I was flabbergasted that no one was pushed or otherwise injured.
Although I am in no way comparing the actions, both legal and illegal, of GUJPS to acts of terrorism, it is important to note that the more these activists are allowed to get away with, the scope for destruction increases.
Read more:
Palestine Action group backed by Glasgow University student protestors
Palestine activists target Glasgow University in spraypaint protest
Palestine activists target Glasgow factory over products used by Israeli army
It is with the same logic that I hope the proposed proscription of Palestine Action will encourage the University of Glasgow and Police Scotland to take the escalation of illegal protests seriously.
The University should reprimand students breaking the Code of Conduct and the law, in order to maintain safety and freedom of speech rights for all on campus. The police must discipline those who continuously break the law, as the voting aged adults they are, rather than screeching children.
Student protesting must change, to create change, whilst maintaining public safety.
Katherine McKay is Editor-in-Chief of the Hillhead Review, The Herald's Student Newsbrand of the Year.