Student Protest and the question of Palestine

In the past couple of weeks, there have been a number of stories in the news regarding protest laws, particularly surrounding students’ protests on campuses for Palestine. The advice and laws put in place have attracted criticism on both sides of the political spectrum, raising concerns regarding freedom of speech and a right to demonstrate.

Image source - Dovydas Žilinskas

In mid June, the Office for Students shared guidance that blanket bans on protests should not be enforced by universities in England. The OfS produced a new report regarding freedom of speech, emphasising that ‘everyone has the right to freedom of expression’ as well as the academic freedom to debate what is taught and discussed within the academic field. This advice comes just weeks prior to the decision by parliament to designate the organisation “Palestine Action” as a terrorist group under the Terrorism Act of 2000, with 385 ayes to 26 noes alongside 239 members for whom no vote was recorded. The bill itself sparked controversy in requiring MPs to vote for three organisations at once which included the neo-Nazi organisations “Maniacs Murder Cult” and the “Russian Imperial Movement”.

Co-leader of the Green Party Carla Denyer expressed her anger on social media. The MP for Bristol Central stated:

‘I just voted against proscribing Palestine Action, a civil disobedience group, as a terrorist organisation. But I'm furious that in doing so, the government forced me and others to vote against proscribing two other clearly terrorist groups. Cynical and dangerous from the government.’

The bill has encouraged protesters from within and outside the group to voice their anger in declaring that ‘we are all Palestine Action.’ I spoke to one activist who has been vocal in their support for Palestine and was recently elected as Guild President at the University of Birmingham, Antonia Listrat. Her concern regarding this bill was the move towards criminalisation of protest at a state level. Listrat shared with me footage of fellow protestors who were approached by security on campus who stated that ‘freedom of speech and expression’ is indeed important, ‘but not here’ during an open day held on Saturday 28th June. She also states how she ‘welcomes the acknowledgement from the OfS that universities have a responsibility to create a culture of free speech and open debate on campus’ but urges the need to keep in mind that ‘the fight for freedom of speech is far from over.’ Listrat raised concerns regarding universities such as ‘Cambridge and Cardiff obtaining injunctions against all campus protest’ demonstrating that the OfS advice is not being utilised in practice. Such injunctions could see ‘students at risk of being prosecuted for simply displaying a Palestine flag.’ In practice, Listrat suggested that universities are guilty of ‘behaving like private landowners’ in order to cover up their ‘unethical investments and complicity in the genocide’.

Currently, the advice and legislation appear to contradict both each other and the lived experience of those engaged in protest on campus. We see groups such as “Palestine Action” prescribed as terrorist organisations but groups such as the EDL whose members were involved in violence against asylum seekers and mosques last year remain legal. One must wonder where the government and higher education institutions draw the line between civil disobedience and terrorism and question whether this action from the government was indeed ‘cynical and dangerous’ as Denyer has proposed.