Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Local sources to Al Mayadeen: More than 10 violent explosions rocked region in Latakia Countryside, reasons still unknown.
Local sources to Al Mayadeen: Explosions targeted Agriculture Battalion, known as the Drone Battalion, near al-Sinn River.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Loud explosions in foreign regiment facilities operated by Syrian Defense Ministry in Latakia countryside.
Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan: Coup plot by senior cleric foiled
Iranian MP Alireza Salimi: The Shura Council has approved a resolution to suspend Iran’s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Political aide to the governor of Gilan Province in northern Iran: Air defenses in Rasht shot down a small hostile drone flying over the city
Israeli media: The presence of General Qaani at the “victory celebrations” in Tehran puts an end to the rumors and earlier reports claiming he had been assassinated
Israeli media: There is division within the US administration itself over the extent of what the strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities actually achieved
Israeli media: US intelligence also says Iran’s centrifuges remained largely intact
Israeli media: Netanyahu and Trump celebrated too soon, as US intelligence says Iran’s uranium stockpile was not damaged

UK's SOAS suspends students over Palestine solidarity rally

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News websites
  • 18 Oct 2023 15:56
5 Min Read

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.

  • x
  • Above, people take part in a ‘Stand with Palestine’ demonstration in west London on Oct. 9, 2023. (AFP)
    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.”

Related News

Gaza Resistance op. sets APC ablaze, kills 7 soldiers inside

Israeli strikes kill dozens in Gaza, eyewitnesses report executions

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.

I am calling on the… https://t.co/fooS4ujJUY

— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) October 9, 2023
  • Palestine
  • SOAS
  • United Kingdom
  • Gaza
War on Gaza

War on Gaza

Most Read

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attends a protest following the US attacks on nuclear sites in Iran, in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP)

Iran declares victory as ceasefire forces Israeli retreat

  • Politics
  • 24 Jun 2025
Israeli workers survey the site where a missile launched from Iran struck in Haifa on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP)

True Promise 3, wave 20: 40 missiles launched, Kheibar-Shekan in first

  • Politics
  • 22 Jun 2025
Rescue team work at the site where a missile launched from Iran struck Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, June 16, 2025 (AP)

Wave 12 of Operation True Promise 3 launched, Sejjil deployed: IRGC

  • Politics
  • 18 Jun 2025
Iran launches strikes on Israeli targets, despite alleged ceasefire

Iran victorious as ceasefire with 'Israel' takes effect

  • Politics
  • 24 Jun 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
'Israel's' medical supply ban to Gaza threatens newborns' lives
Health

Gaza's newborns at risk as 'Israel' blocks baby formula, supplies

Tehran
MENA

Thousands rally in Tehran in support of Iranian Armed Forces

FT
Palestine

UK’s Co-op halts sales of Israeli carrots over rights violations

Israeli security forces inspect the site struck by an Iranian missile strike that killed several people, in Beer al-Sabe', Occupied Palestine, on Tuesday, June 24, 2025 (AP)
Politics

In numbers: Iran's True Promise 3 devastates 'Israel' in 12 days

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS