The Hour of Liberation is Near: The Student Intifada, June 12-26
Encampment in the UK, protests in Brazil, noise demos in the Netherlands, and much more from The Student Intifada.
Welcome and welcome back.
Over the course of the past two weeks, we have seen the continued escalation of repression against not just the Student Intifada but the broader solidarity movement as a whole. Most notably, the UK government has promised to proscribe direct action group Palestine Action as a terrorist group for its continued and effective disruptions and sabotage against Elbit Systems. This would mean that any members of Palestine Action could see up to 14 years in prison, and those who express support or sympathy for the organisation could face up to 6 months in prison as well. A solidarity protest for Palestine Action in London was similarly met with excessive violence on the part of the Metropolitan police, along with numerous arrests.
This repression is joined by israel’s own escalation against both Palestine and West Asia in general. Starting on the 13th of June, israel, with the backing and support of the United States and West at large, attacked the Islamic State of Iran without provocation. This was, in the words of israeli officials and their allies “pre-emptive”. Something that echoes the rhetoric of Nazi Germany’s own ‘pre-emptive’ invasion of Poland in 1939. The strikes have killed a number of civilians, including children, and resulted in Iranian counterattacks, some of which managed to break past israel’s beloved Iron Dome. As of now, a tentative ceasefire has stopped the conflict, though no such ceasefire has been in place for Gaza, with israel’s genocidal campaign continuing without pause.
This is not to say that there have not been victories, however. On June 20th, Palestinian Columbia alumni Mahmoud Khalil was released on bail by way of a judicial order. After months of unlawful imprisonment following his illegal kidnapping, Khalil has spent no time returning to the struggle, quickly attending a pro-Palestine protest following his release. In a statement he vowed to “continue protesting with each and every one of you, not only if they threaten me with detention. Even if they would kill me, I would still speak up for Gaza.”
In the shadow of institutional repression, as bombs incinerate families and politicians happily meet in imperialist conference halls, the Student Intifada continues unabated. Our battle is against institutions of untethered greed, against settler-colonial regimes who care more for the continuation of death than they do the wellbeing of their own people, against the most powerful empires humankind has ever seen. We fight against universities, governments and socio-economic systems that seem immortal. Yet we still continue to fight because we know it is the right thing to do. Detention did not stop Mahmoud Khalil and repression will not stop us. It is our duty to Palestine that in the face of any obstacle we refuse to back down or give up, and it is our duty to humanity that we win in our struggle for liberation. Whether it be for the protester in London, the civilian in Tehran, or the activist in Columbia; we must win.
What did we miss?
Ireland (occupied 6 counties)
On Friday 6th, on the heels of Trinity College Dublin's complete divestment from the israeli Apartheid State, Queen's University Belfast has confirmed its divestment from israeli companies as outlined under the UN blacklist. This has been denounced by the QUB Palestine Assembly and other student groups as actions falling short of complete divestment, while Queen's University continues indirect financial ties to so-called israel. Specifically, the university maintains investments with BDS target Barclay's and arms companies such as Collins Aerospace, alongside other complicit corporations.
Netherlands
On Tuesday 10th, TU Delft announced that it will not initiate new collaborations with israeli universities and organizations. This includes consortium agreements and Horizon Europe projects. This is a significant development, as many other Dutch universities have ‘suspended’ ties with israeli institutions (e.g., exchange programs that were often already frozen), but have continued consortium agreements and Horizon Europe projects. Consortium agreements are ‘private’ agreements, such as research collaborations, which make up the majority of collaborations between Dutch and israeli universities. These agreements are framed as ‘individual’ collaborations, but give financial contributions and support to the institutions hosting the research, which can be used as the institution sees fit (for example, to support the IOF entanglements of israeli universities).
On Wednesday 11th, the Khalil Abu Yahia encampment at Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam was evicted by police force. The encampment lasted 8 days, during which the Executive Board refused to discuss the student activists’ demands. Due to the violent eviction by police, several students were hospitalized following injuries.
Spain
The University of Madrid student encampment was re-established for the second year. On Tuesday 13th, a week after Netanyahu announced the annexation plan to occupy Gaza, students erected tents and banners and outlined their demands for complete university divestment from israeli institutions. Although the encampment's demands were not met, the campaign came to an end a month later on Monday 16th The students have vowed to continue the fight for divestment.
Anything else we’ve missed? Let us know!
Updates from the intifada, June 12-26
Brazil
On Sunday 15th, Universidade de São Paulo’s Student Committee in Solidarity with the Palestinian People (ESPP-USP), gathered in Roosevelt Square “to denounce the genocide prompted by the state of israel” and to “demand the Brazilian government’s end of relations with the Zionist, colonial racist state of israel”. This marks a continuation of ESPP’s efforts to sever ties with israel between not just their university but the country as a whole. Their efforts act as a part of Brazil’s broader Palestine solidarity movement, one influenced by Brazil’s large Arab immigrant communities and the country’s left.
Canada
On Tuesday 17, MacEwan University prohibited a student involved in pro-Palestine campus advocacy from attending their convocation. The university had previously attempted to discipline student activists with misconduct claims. The student who was singled-out by the university, later said in a statement released by the school’s Palestine Students Alliance, “I do not regret protesting against a genocide and wanting to ensure I am not complicit through MacEwans investments. I may not walk the stage but there are no universities left in Gaza. There have been no graduates in Gaza for the past two years. This is nothing.”
In the week leading up to the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, the Calgary Student Movement led and participated in a variety of actions resisting the Summit, including a march, an art build, and a counter-summit and rally. On Monday 16th they released a statement condemning the complicity of the G7.
Ireland
On Tuesday 17th, Trinity College Dublin BDS and other student groups announced the creation of the 'Student Neutrality Front' (SNF). The SNF was established after Trinity College Dublin released a divestment statement. The Front promises to represent a coalition of anti-imperialist organisations opposed to Ireland's ties with israel, the United States, and other western imperial projects. Specifically, SNF will focus on US warplanes that use Shannon Airport, often en route to supportingisrael’s genocide of Palestinians. The SNF is working to stop all Irish participation in EU and NATO military operations.
Netherlands
On Thursday 12th, students occupied the Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht (HKU) against the university’s collaboration with the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design. Students demanded HKU to end the collaboration, reject the genocide, violence, and ethnic cleansing in Palestine, and to investigate and report all ties with israeli institutions. The art academy students constructed a quilt in remembrance of martyred students and artists.
The occupation ended later that day after the University board issued a second order to students to leave the campus and threatened a police-enforced eviction. This order came soon after a violent police eviction at Utrecht University.
The same day, Free Palestine Maastricht organized a walk out at Maastricht University. Students marched through the psychology faculty, encouraging ongoing classes to end and participate in the march.
On Wednesday 18th, students from Utrecht University marched against the University’s inaction, and proceeded to occupy a university building. The building was renamed as the ‘Yafa’ building, after a street in East Gaza city. A full programme of speeches, workshops and lectures took place that day in collaboration with the student union, Medics for Gaza, and PYRA feminist collective. Students ended the occupation between the night of Thursday 19th and Friday 20th, after the University issued a formal request to vacate the building. Utrecht University stated they will file a police report against the students for unlawful entry and breaching the peace.
In Nijmegen, Radboud Staff for Palestine released an article on Thursday 19th outlining the complicity of Radboud University in the crimes of israel. On Wednesday 21st May, Radboud University had taken a decision to end institution-wide partnerships with Hebrew University and Tel Aviv University, with immediate effect, due to the universities’ contributions to human rights violations against Palestinians. Nonetheless, Radboud Staff for Palestine have been critical of the University’s decision not to suspend ongoing or future multilateral research partnerships, also known as ‘consortium agreements’ (e.g., Horizon Europe). Most of Radboud’s collaborations with israel take place through such partnerships, with at least thirteen ongoing projects, accounting for tens of millions of Euros. While Radboud University argues these are ‘individual’ partnerships that must be terminated on an individual basis, they are actually institutional ties: the institutions get to spend significant parts of the contributions as they desire - thus contributing to systemic and ungovernable partnerships. Radboud Staff for Palestine calls for a thorough end of all links to israeli institutions and a ban on future research collaborations, and for the European Commision to suspend the EU Association Agreement with israel, ending israeli institutions’ participation in the Horizon program.
On Friday 20th, the 16th day of the Al-Najjar encampment at the University of Amsterdam (UvA), students and staff organized a noise demonstration against the executive board’s refusal to meet the demands of the occupation.
On Monday 23rd, students and staff disbanded the Al-Najjar encampment, 18 days after the beginning of the occupation. With their demands unmet, activists state they will return.
On Wednesday 25th, the Nijmegen Encampment group called for the resignation of Jose Sanders, Agnes Muskens, and Alexandra van Huffelen, members of Radboud University’s Executive Board. That night, another graffiti action took place on campus, reading, “HUFFELEN & RU FUNDS GENOCIDE IN GAZA”.
At the University of Amsterdam, silent sit-ins continue every Thursday between 12:30-13:00.
Turkey
On Saturday 14th, students and members of the public gathered outside the Egyptian consulate in Istanbul, to demand the Egyptian government open the Gaza-Egypt border and end its cooperation with israel. This was in response to Egypt detaining activists who took part in the Sumud Convoy, or Global March to Gaza, to end the siege on Gaza. Students and community members also accuse the Turkish government led by Erdogan of being collaborating with the Zionist entity, condemning the government's on-going trade with israel and the use of Turkish ports by complicit companies such as Maersk. The Turkish student group stated that ‘while free peoples walk towards the Prosperity Border Gate, blood flows from Egypt's ports as it happens from Turkish ports.’
UK
Starting Tuesday 24th, Cambridge for Palestine has established another encampment in response to Magdalene College (University of Cambridge), serving an injunction against students involved in previous encampments. This is the fourth encampment to be established this term at the University of Cambridge. In a statement released by the student group, Cambridge Students affirmed, “To Cambridge University: we will target each institution with ties to the occupation and genocide in Palestine. If you are complicit, expect us.”
On Sunday 22nd, a coalition of students representing the University of Birmingham, University of Exeter, University of Oxford, Imperial College London, and University of Sussex released a statement addressing the British government’s plans to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist group. Palestine Action is a direct action group that has recently escalated its campaign in opposition to Britain’s ongoing and secretive military support of the genocide in Gaza . Publishing a statement, the student coalition wrote, “An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us. We must be unwavering in our support for Palestine Action in this moment and show that the student movement stands unified against this proscription and against the attempt to fragment and isolate direct resistance to the war machine from the rest of the movement.”
US
On Friday 20th, a Federal Judge ruled that Mahmoud Khalil be released from ICE detention. This ended a 104 day detention during which Khalil was blocked by the American courts from holding his newborn son. A week prior to the Federal decision, a judge had ruled that the Trump administration lacked reasoning to keep him detained, but did not release him.
On the same day, students at Borough of Manhattan Community College disrupted a CitiBank career panel for their involvement in the genocide in Gaza. CitiBank is the largest foreign bank investing in the zionist entity.
Parting thoughts
The government of Panama has declared an emergency in its western Bocas del Toro province following massive protests opposing a pension reform law. This move suspends people’s constitutional rights, restricts freedom of movement and public gatherings, and allows the police to make arrests without a warrant. The government says that this was done to “rescue” the province from “radical groups” (notice the similarities in language?). The worker-led protests began in March, and escalated after the US-based banana company Chiquita Brands sacked thousands of striking employees. Protestors partially set fire to a baseball stadium with police officers inside, took over the local airport, and caused damage to a Chiquita warehouse. Clashes with police have left one person dead and injured about 30 people. Panamanians have also been in the streets over a deal struck with Trump allowing US troops to deploy to Panamanian bases along the Panama Canal.
In another part of the world, thousands are protesting in Kenya to mark one year since the anti-tax demonstrations last June. They’re demanding accountability for the police brutality that left dozens dead and hundreds injured. The state has met this protest against police brutality with surprise, surprise, more police brutality, shooting live rounds to disperse the crowd. Protestors have also been repelled with tear gas and water cannon trucks in the capital. At least 8 people have been killed, and 400 people have been injured.
While it is always difficult to read about the seemingly endless systemic violence that is inflicted upon people in every corner of the world, watching people everywhere defy and resist oppression by any means necessary, no matter the cost, is a beacon of hope. It is a reminder of our moral obligation to (violently) resist violence and/or stand steadfast with those who do without getting disillusioned by constructions of legality.
The hour of liberation is near. This is the time for us to let our rage grow and consume everything that gets in the way of our liberation, no matter the cost. From Kenya to Panama. From Iran to Palestine. Inshallah we will all be free.
In solidarity and resistance, The Student Intifada.
Written this week by comrades from Ireland, India, UK and the US.