A group of students caused disruption at the University of Manchester in a Palestine protest and barricaded themselves inside a campus building.
In chaotic scenes, the group succeeded in preventing attempts to remove them from Whitworth Hall, which is due to hold exams for hundreds of pupils in the coming week.
Manchester Leftist Action, members of which have been occupying the Encampment of Resistance for Palestine over the last four weeks, have refused a request to vacate the building and have caused exam contingency plans to be evacuated.
In a statement, the group said: “We have taken the Whitworth building to escalate our pressure on the university to end its ties with the genocide in Palestine.
“We have full control of this building which is due to hold hundreds of students for exams next week.
“We will not leave until the university commits to not disciplining any student protesters and enters negotiations on the other demands.”
Among their demands is asking for the university to promise “no disciplinary action” will be taken against student activists.
They are also calling for the university to end its partnership with BAE Systems, to cut ties with Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and to adopt a policy ensuring all research is ethical and does not contribute towards the arms trade.
The nearby Encampment of Resistance for Palestine in Manchester has seen more than 500 students and members of the community participate, while other universities across the UK and the US have seen similar demonstrations.
The action comes after eight months of escalating violence in the Gaza Strip, with at least 35,000 Palestinians killed and millions displaced by Israeli bombardment.
A UoM spokesman said: “On the evening of Monday 27 May 2024, a large demonstration occurred on campus, which included members of the public, as well as some of our students. Greater Manchester Police were in attendance, as is standard procedure for large protests.
“Despite claims made on social media, no action has been taken to remove those occupying Whitworth Hall, by either our Campus Support and Security staff or Greater Manchester Police.
“We have written to the individuals occupying the Whitworth Hall complex, requesting they vacate the premises to allow student exams to proceed as planned. Unfortunately, they have refused.
“As a result, we are now activating our well-established exam contingency plans, but it is deeply disappointing that their actions are directly impacting on what is already, for all those undertaking assessments at present, one of the most intense periods in the academic year.”
One of the student occupiers said: “The Greater Manchester Community stands together for Palestine. We see the actions of the police as what they are: defending the right of a state to commit genocide. We refuse to allow our university to follow suit.”
Greater Manchester Police said that they had no involvement in Whitworth Hall but had attended a nearby protest which had ended on Oxford Road, close to the university campus.
Superintendent Nicola Williams of GMP’s City of Manchester district said: “The protest for the most part was peaceful; however, the behaviour did escalate with missiles thrown and police equipment stolen. The protest came to a full conclusion at approximately 11pm.
“Crimes of theft and affray now being investigated with enquiries ongoing to determine those responsible.”
