UK's SOAS suspends students over Palestine solidarity rally
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The Palestine Society issued a statement signed by members of the students’ union and other university societies, expressing a “moral imperative” to organize against “the imperialist and Zionist forces on our campus” following the disciplinary action.
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People take part in a ‘Stand with Palestine’ demonstration in west London on Oct. 9, 2023. (AFP)
Following a Gaza solidarity rally in London, members of the Palestine Society pertaining to the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in the UK claimed to have suffered a “targeted act of political repression” by the university as some of its members who did not even attend the rally also faced disciplinary warnings.
On Monday, the Palestine Society issued a statement signed by members of the students’ union and other university societies that expressed a “moral imperative” to organize against “the imperialist and Zionist forces on our campus” following the disciplinary action.
Students were called on to sign a petition demanding that the university withdraw proceedings against those involved and to “revoke the formal warnings” handed to society members after it accused the SOAS of “participating in the widespread efforts to suppress Palestinian solidarity”.
In response, the university justified its behavior by saying that the suspensions “pending an investigation” are being imposed on selective students because of their conduct during the rally and “not because they engaged in solidarity action,” adding that some students in the rally broke “venue protocols”.
We extend our full solidarity with Palestine and condemn the repressive actions taken by management of SOAS. We call for all students suspended to be allowed to continue their studies and attend lectures. Please read full statement and sign our petition: https://t.co/s3DfoEg9L3 pic.twitter.com/JYZn25gzD8
— SOAS Palestine Society (@SOAS_Palestine) October 17, 2023
SOAS alumni ditch the academic pride
SOAS, in its statement shared with The Telegraph, said: “We regret that in this instance despite agreeing on an area for the Students’ Union Palestine Society to conduct its rally, the institution’s event and venue protocols were not followed even after multiple requests to do so.”
“Additionally, during the rally, multiple fire alarms were activated across the buildings that forced us to evacuate all buildings, which created a potentially significant health and safety issue as well as the school having to cancel lectures and all SOAS activities for the rest of the day.”
Read next: Thousands protest in support of Palestine in West Asia, North Africa
It continued: “We wish to be clear that this suspension pending a further investigation is being imposed on a small number of students not because they engaged in solidarity action, but because they violated an agreement with the executive, supported by the Students’ Union, which disrupted our teaching, learning, and wider activities and led to a significant breach of health and safety policies and procedures.”
On its part, Palestine Society was adamant about the fact that “(no) member was in any way responsible for the alarm sounding” and that the rally “sadly moved to the green space opposite the building” when an evacuation was enforced.
The university stated its responsibility to “uphold (its) role as a place of academic inquiry” and insisted that it was “not the role of a university to sanction or silence members of our community where some may be offended by their views, provided they are not violating the law or breaching our institutional policies... We fully support the right to peaceful protest and for our community members to engage in solidarity action.”
In light of that, other communities from the university have rallied behind Palestine Society, such as SOAS’ Global Movement for Planet Repairs and Solidarity, SOAS Fight Racism Fight Imperialism, and SOAS Justice for Workers.
Pakistani writer and columnist Fatima Bhutto, an SOAS alumna, expressed solidarity on X that she was “so disappointed” in her alma mater, saying: “I was always proud of being a [SOAS alumna] but not today.”
Harvard students hit again
SOAS students are not the only ones expressing outrage with their alma mater.
Top US law firm Davis Polk took back letters of employment for three law students at Harvard and Columbia universities after they signed organizational statements against "Israel".
“These statements are simply contrary to our firm’s values and we thus concluded that rescinding these offers was appropriate in upholding our responsibility to provide a safe and inclusive work environment for all Davis Polk employees,” stated the email, signed by Neil Barr.
A representative of Davis Polk pointed to a statement that was included in the email: “The views expressed in certain of the statements signed by law school student organizations in recent days are in direct contravention of our firm’s value system. For this reason and to ensure we continue to maintain a supportive and inclusive work environment, the student leaders responsible for signing on to these statements are no longer welcome in our firm; and their offers of employment have thus been rescinded.”
A student statement from Harvard University blaming "Israel" for the attacks on Gaza is being criticized and Harvard is being called out by some of its most prominent political alumni for not condemning the statement.
Lawrence Summers, a former Harvard president and longtime Washington economic policy hand, wrote on X: “The silence from Harvard’s leadership, so far, coupled with a vocal and widely reported student groups’ statement blaming Israel solely, has allowed Harvard to appear at best neutral towards acts of terror against the Jewish state of Israel."
The Democrat who served as Treasury Secretary under former President Bill Clinton added: “I am sickened. I cannot fathom the administration’s failure to disassociate the university and condemn this statement.”
It is abhorrent and heinous that Harvard student groups are blaming Israel for Hamas’ barbaric terrorist attacks that have killed over 700 Israelis. Any voice that excuses the slaughter of innocent women and children has chosen the side of evil and terrorism.
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) October 9, 2023
I am calling on the… https://t.co/fooS4ujJUY
