The occupation followed a similar protest at the university’s engineering building the week before.
Rhys Everquill / Leicester Gazette*
Eleven people, including students, were arrested during a pro-Palestine protest occupation at Attenborough Tower on Friday, 15 November.
According to Leicestershire Police, “the people reportedly refused to leave” before officers attended. Two men aged 20 and 22, along with six women aged 35, 26, 22, 19 and two aged 20 were arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass. Three women, two aged 24 and one aged 20, were arrested on suspicion of ‘obstructing or disrupting a person engaged in lawful activity.’ The people arrested were later released on bail. Students and staff gathered outside Attenborough Tower last Friday supporting the occupation, after reports emerged that protestors were being detained. A video posted to Instagram shows police rushing the entrance to the building, and a police van arriving at the scene.
In a statement posted to the Palestine Society WhatsApp group, Reed James, community and wellbeing officer at Leicester Students’ Union, said: “On behalf of the SU in my role as community and wellbeing officer I can say that we’ll be doing all we can to support the arrested students and giving them legal advice if necessary.”
The occupation demanded the University of Leicester “cut ties with arms companies”, “stop banking with Barclays”, and “implement Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS)” in a banner attached to the front of the building.
In an Instagram post published on Saturday, University of Leicester Palestine Society said: “We stand in full solidarity with these brave students and pray for their safety. May the university management be eternally ashamed of what they have done today. Laughing and smiling while brutalising their students for protesting a genocide.”
The Leicester University and College Union (UCU) also expressed its support:
“Leicester UCU was alarmed to hear of the arrest today of several students involved in an occupation on campus. The students were protesting the university’s links with companies involved in the Israeli war on Gaza.
“Occupations are a longstanding form of student protest. They featured heavily in the campaigns against the Vietnam War and South African Apartheid, issues in which it is today widely believed that students stood on the right side of history, their protests entirely legitimate. We feel sure that in the years to come protest over Israel’s campaign will be viewed in the same way.
“The university’s own celebration of its centenary notes: ‘Feeling impatient over the lack of response to calls for more say in how the University was run, students occupied the Fielding Johnson Building in 1968, camping out for four days and three nights.’ Back then, management responded by agreeing to student representation on the University Council. The current student protests embody the notion that we should be ‘citizens of change’, a motto of our university. What could be more legitimate than demanding our institution break off all links with companies facilitating a genocidal war on Palestinians?
“Leicester UCU has also asked the university to end its relationship with firms such as Barclays Bank or Hewlett-Packard, which have been identified by the global BDS campaign.
“We hold that the involvement of the police in matters of student discipline is entirely disproportionate and unacceptable.”
Speaking to the Leicester Gazette, a spokesperson for Leicestershire Police said:
“Police were called at 8.33am on Friday (15 November) reporting that a number of people had gained entry to a building off University Road, Leicester, overnight. The people reportedly refused to leave. Officers attended.
“Eleven people were arrested. Two men aged 20 and 22, along with six women aged 35, 26, 22, 19 and two aged 20 were arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass. Three women – two aged 24 and one aged 20 – were arrested on suspicion of obstructing / disrupting a person engaged in lawful activity. The people arrested have all since been released on bail. Enquiries remain ongoing.”
Attenborough Tower is the university’s tallest building, and was named after Frederick Attenborough, who was principal of the then University College from 1932 until 1951, and father of Richard and David Attenborough.
The occupation of Attenborough Tower followed a similar protest at the university’s engineering building the week before during an open day for prospective students. It is not known whether the same students were involved.
The University of Leicester did not respond to requests for comment in time for publication.
*Article originally published in Leicester Gazette.
(2 photos and text provided to The Prisma and authorized for republication)
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