Encampment activists and College negotiations continue

Student activists from the pro-Palestinian encampment have said they can “guarantee a presence” at Imperial College, as negotiations between the College and encampment continue. They have also promised an update on the discussions “soon” on their Instagram account.  

Following the end of the encampment due to the Summer Ball on 20th June, a representative of the group has said that they have met with the College “regularly throughout [the] summer”. The negotiations have been held with both representatives of Imperial’s senior management team and Imperial College Union.  

The activists have raised points around research partnerships that they believe contravene a June UN Office of the High Commission Human Rights (OHCHR) division press release, calling for states and companies to “end arms transfers to Israel immediately”. Activists highlighted companies such as BAE Systems and Rolls Royce, which are believed by the UN to have links to alleged war crimes committed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).  

In January a spokesperson for BAE Systems told Felix that the company was “horrified by the situation in Israel and Gaza and the devastating impact it’s having on civilians in the region, and we hope it can be resolved as soon as possible. We respect everyone’s right to protest peacefully. We operate under the tightest regulation and comply fully with all applicable defence export controls, which are subject to ongoing assessment.”  

A spokesperson for Rolls-Royce said: “Rolls-Royce supports the UK Government and its allies in providing power solutions for defence purposes. In doing so, we abide by all applicable export control and sanction laws. In the UK, those regulations demand that exports are considered against a range of criteria including relevant international law.” 

The group have also discussed the number of sanctuary scholarships offered to Palestinian students, which they say they “will continue to push for [the] next academic year.” Another key concern of the encampment activists was “the lack of clear policy on anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab racism”. A representative of the activists stated: “We will continue to fight for the rights of everyone – including Arab, Palestinian, and Muslim staff and students – to feel safe on campus.” The negotiations remain ongoing.  

An Imperial College spokesperson said:“Recent and ongoing events in the Middle East have understandably generated strong feelings and differing views within our community. In response to issues raised, senior representatives at Imperial have engaged and will continue to engage with representatives from a number of different Imperial student societies, with support from Imperial College Union. The safety and wellbeing of our community of students and staff is our top priority.” 

Students began protests and the encampment in response to the IDF’s ground war and bombardment campaign on the Gaza strip. The war began following a Hamas attack on the Nova music festival and several surrounding kibbutzim, killing 1,200 people, and taking 251 hostages. Israel’s ensuing offensive in Gaza has killed over 40,000 Palestinians according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.