After Oxford, cops violently tried to shut down Manchester Uni’s anti-genocide occupation – and failed

On Monday 27 May at around 7pm, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) attempted to forcibly gain access and evict the student occupiers of Walid Daqqa (Whitworth) Hall at the University of Manchester; the ongoing occupation against Israel’s genocide in Gaza and the university’s complicity. It comes after cops also moved in at a similar occupation on Oxford University campus.

Cops move in on the University of Manchester occupation

This attempt was blocked by hundreds of students and members of the community who gathered and formed crowds in front of the doors, resisting and deterring the police:

The police responded with violence, including using batons against the protesters and injuring several University of Manchester students:

However, they had no other option but to withdraw after seeing the determination and resilience of the crowd:

This escalation occurred at the end of an emergency protest called by the Greater Manchester community in response to the horrific massacre committed by Israeli occupation forces in Rafah, a designated “safe zone” for the Palestinian refugees in south Gaza.

A spokesperson for the University of Manchester students said:

The student protestors denounce this unwarranted escalation by GMP, particularly the treatment of peaceful protestors, including several instances of physical assault.

The police have yet again proven that they are an oppressive and violent tool of state that aims to silence us while extending endless support to Israel. The student protestors also believe that this confrontation would not have taken place if the University of Manchester had listened to the demands of the student body.

This comes after close to eight months of the escalation of the genocide in Palestine, with at least 35,000 Palestinians killed, and millions displaced by Israel.

Students will not be deterred

Students have been campaigning since October for the University of Manchester to end its complicity with the ongoing genocide and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, with three previous building occupations and the recent Manchester Camp of Resistance for Palestine in Dr Adnan al-Bursh (Brunswick) Park, leading to the current occupation of Walid Daqqa Hall. The students’ demands are that the University of Manchester must:

1. End its partnership with BAE Systems.
2. Cut ties with Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
3. Adopt a policy ensuring that all research is ethical and doesn’t contribute towards the arms trade.
4. Not pursue disciplinary action against any students involved in the Encampment, occupations or other protests.

One of the University of Manchester 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, UoM must Disclose, Divest, Demilitarise.

The Manchester Camp of Resistance for Palestine remains as steadfast as ever in its struggle against the University’s deadly ties, and not amount of repression will deter us.

Featured image and additional image supplied