2024 Oxford Action for Palestine Encampment
| 2024 Oxford Action for Palestine Encampment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | 6 May 2024 - ongoing 9am – | ||
| Location | |||
| Goals | Force Oxford University to divest its investments in arms manufacturers which sell weapons to Israel | ||
| Methods | Peaceful protest | ||
| Status | Ongoing | ||
| Parties | |||
| |||
The Oxford Action for Palestine Encampment (OA4P) is an ongoing protest encampment, created and led by Oxford Action for Palestine (OAP).[1] Starting as a single encampment on the front lawn of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, a second encampment was created and related protest actions and occupations sprang up across Oxford.
Background[edit]
On 7 October 2023, Hamas invaded Southern Israel, where it committed massacres such as the Re'im massacre and the Be'eri massacre. Israel's offensive into Gaza in response had resulted in 33,000 deaths, most of which were civilians.[2] In May the ICC prosecutor said he would issue warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity "war crimes and crimes against humanity committed on the territory of Israel and the State of Palestine (in the Gaza strip) from at least 7 October 2023".[3]
OAP advocates for the University of Oxford to divest from companies linked to Israel.[4]
First encampment - Parks Road (6 May)[edit]
The first encampment was created at 9am, the 6th May, 2024, on the front lawn of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, which shares a building with the Pitt Rivers Museum. It was created jointly in coordination with a similar encampment in the University of Cambridge.[5] The encampment was fuelled largely by donations form the local Oxford community.[6] The university subsequently released a public statement in regards to the encampment.[7]
Many of the tents in the encampment within specific functions were named after notable Palestinian civilians who had been killed by Israel. These included:
- The Refaat Alareer Memorial Library tent.[8]
- The Shireen Abu Akleh media tent.[6]
- The Dr Hammam Alloh medical tent.[6]
The Israeli-British historian and Oxford professor Avi Shlaim visited the encampment in its support.[9]
Second encampment - Radcliffe Square (19 May)[edit]
On 19 May OAP created a second encampment on the lawn of the Radcliffe Camera library in Radcliffe Square.
In response the Bodleian Library (which owns the Radcliffe Camera library) locked the front entrance of the Radcliffe Camera library and told readers that to access the library they would need to enter using the underground tunnels via the Gladstone Link.[10]
Graduation die-in (20 May)[edit]
On 20 May, many members of the encampments staged a die in, in which they dressed as murdered corpses and lay limp near the entrances and exits of an Oxford University graduation ceremony.[11]
Sit-in (23 May)[edit]
OAP staged a sit-in protest at university offices on 23 May. The university called the police and the office on Wellington Square was evacuated and locked down. Sixteen people were arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass; one of the sixteen was arrested on suspicion of common assault.[2] The following day, the sixteen were also arrested on suspicion of affray; a seventeenth person was arrested for the same reasons.[12]
Counter protestors[edit]
11 May - attack on Parks Road encampment[edit]
On 11 May, a community candlelight memorial vigil was held next to the Parks Road encampment where students read the obituaries of Palestinian who had been killed by Israel. Six men then arrived at the vigil where they shouting abuse and death threats at members of the Palestinian encampment, including "terrorists" and "I'll fucking kill you".[13] The same counter protestors then began shouting antisemitic abuse at Jewish members of the Palestinian solidarity encampment.[14] They also tried tearing down nearby Palestinian solidarity banners.[15] The attack was recorded by journalist Madeleine Jane.[16]
According to a statement given by OA4P:
"Before we even began reciting the names of the dead, six men leapt out of a van nearby and accosted us with xenophobic and transphobic slurs, among a litany of other vitriolic insults. They ripped down our art, physically assaulted nearby members of the community, and particularly targeted Jewish students trying to deescalate the situation, using unacceptable antisemitic language."[15]
References[edit]
- ^ Hall, Rachel; Gohil, Neha (2024-05-06). "Students stage pro-Palestine occupations at five more UK universities". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
- ^ a b Gudge, Ethan; Mercer-Kelly, Phil (2024-05-23). "Oxford University Gaza protest sees 16 arrested". BBC News. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
- ^ "ICC statement on arrest warrants of Israeli and Hamas leaders". BBC News. 2024-05-20. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
- ^ Pollock, Amy (2024-05-23). "Oxford University students arrested at pro-Palestinian sit-in". Reuters. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
- ^ "Gaza protests: Oxford and Cambridge university students set up camps". BBC News. 2024-05-06. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
- ^ a b c Chen, Selina (2024-05-08). "24 hours inside the OA4P encampment". Cherwell. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
- ^ "Oxford University response to the recent encampment protest | University of Oxford". www.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ^ "'Until total liberation': Oxford Pro-Palestine encampment continues 5th day". 11 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ^ Şafak, Yeni. "Oxford professor rejects claims of increased antisemitism in university campuses | Europe". Yeni Şafak. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
- ^ "Gaza solidarity encampment expands to lawn of Radcliffe Camera". Oxford Mail. 2024-05-19. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
- ^ "Gaza encampment accuses Oxford University staff of harassment". thisisoxfordshire. 2024-05-21. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
- ^ "Seventeen protestors arrested over University of Oxford Gaza protest". BBC News. 2024-05-24. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
- ^ Rahman, Billal (2024-05-13). Pro-Palestine encampment at Oxford attacked by men shouting death threats. Retrieved 2024-05-24 – via www.independent.co.uk.
- ^ "Pro-Palestine encampment at Oxford attacked by men shouting death threats". Yahoo News. 2024-05-13. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
- ^ a b "Oxford pro-Palestine camp 'attacked' by men screaming 'terrorists'". Oxford Mail. 2024-05-13. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
- ^ "Gaza protests: Oxford students reportedly threatened by group of men". BBC News. 2024-05-13. Retrieved 2024-05-24.