Edinburgh latest University occupied in  Israel protest 

The Edinburgh occupation

They said that there was no such thing as student radicalism anymore, however occupations at 24 of Britain’s universities (4 here in Scotland) have put paid to that particular myth.  The Scotsman on Thursday 12th February reports that the wave of protests and University occupations against Israel’s targeting of Gaza are “the most culturally significant in over a decade.” 

Students at Glasgow, Strathclyde, Dundee and now Edinburgh have joined their counterparts in London, Oxford, Manchester, Leeds and many more in demonstrating their opposition to the death and destruction wreaked on Gaza during the latest Israeli military incursion. With demands such as cutting links with arms manufacturers and providing scholarships for Palestinian students the occupations are being described as recapturing a spirit not seen since anti-Vietnam protests at Universities in the 60’s.

A statement from the students occupying the Edinburgh campus said; 

“On the morning of Wednesday 11th February Edinburgh University students occupied the George Square Lecture Theatre. We have acted against the university because of its financial and commercial links to the apartheid state of Israel, in addition to its unacceptable silence in response to the Gaza conflict, described by the UN President of the General Assembly, Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, as “genocide”.” 

Solidarity reaffirms our support for all of the occupations and for our conference decisions in 2007 and 2008 to continue to support the Stop the War Coalition and The Scottish Palestinian Solidarity Campaign.  

The following motion was agreed at the Solidarity Conference in 2007. 

 “Conference affirms its support for the struggle of the Palestinians. Solidarity will work with the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign in its struggle for boycott, disinvestment, and sanctions against the Israeli regime until it recognises the rights of the Palestinians.”  

For further information about the occupations and the work of SPSC please click on the Palestinian flag icon on the right of the screen or click on the link below. 

 www.scottishpsc.org.uk/ 

Follow the occupation: http://edinburghuni occupation. wordpress. com/
  
For updates on Glasgow Occupation go to: www.glasgowunioccupation.blogspot. com 

Please send your messages of support and move motions at your trade union branch and trades councils in support of students in occupation in Edinburgh and Glasgow.