A Pro-Palestine Encampment has been set up outside O’Reilly Hall following today’s ‘ Walk out for Gaza’ rally.
Encampment Established On Campus
Following the rally, which was attended by over 150 students, a number of protestors began moving the tents from the N11 bus stop to the grass by UCD Lake. Two tents currently remain by the lake after estates services issued cease and desist letters to other individuals attempting to bring another large tent and a table into campus. Cease and desist letters have also been handed out to the students who remain with the tents by the lake.
A group of around ten protestors were met by five members of UCD Estates services on the pathway from the N11 bus stop leading to O’Reilly Hall. Estates services insisted the individuals produce their UCards, claiming the UCD Student code of conduct states that students must be able to produce their UCards whenever asked by a member of staff.
One protestor said to a member of estates services that they were a student and that the staff member has to “show me where it says I can’t do this”. The staff member replied “I don’t have to show you”.
The individuals, who distanced themselves from BDS, reached the lake with two tents. One protester, holding a banner, asked UCD security and estates services employees “how does it feel to be stopping freedom of speech”. At least one of the employees laughed at him.
While attempting to bring the large tent onto campus, one student claimed to own the tent and asked to take it back to their accomodation. Estate Services questioned whether the student did own the tent, and refused to let her take it in.
Estate Services claimed that chairs being brought in by protestors had been taken from skips within UCD. One staff member, who has been monitoring the encampment by the N11 since it was set up, said “you’re setting up an encampment on the campus which I’m asking you not to do”.
Estates services handed letters to protestors. The letter obtained by the University Observer stated “You are required to: remove all tents, structures, belongings, and any other items used in connection with the occupation or disturbance; and vacate university lands immediately”.
The letter stated that failure to comply will result in students and staff being referred to disciplinary proceedings, initiation of legal proceedings and referral to An Garda Síochána.
'Walk Out For Gaza' Rally
The establishment of the encampment follows the ‘Walk Out For Gaza Rally’ that took place around the country today, including on UCD campus. The rally, attended by over 150 students, had a number of speakers address the crowd before the majority of the crowd headed to Dublin City for a larger protest.
The first speaker in UCD was Dr Anne Mulhall. She discussed UCD’s agreement with BDS, signed during the encampment. However, Mulhall underlined that given the current situation in Palestine, what UCD has done is not enough. She stated that the university needs to comply with international law, show responsibility and fully boycott all Israeli institutions, including those that are current partners for research projects.
Sarah Clancy followed her. She was part of the Sumud Flotilla and explained her experience as the crew was kidnapped three days before they could get to Gaza and help the population. Clancy told the story of a children’s team football coach who called her before they were taken by the IDF. The man had previously visited Ireland with his team, and Clancy noted how the children looked so different from their Irish peers, showing the physical effects of growing up under a siege. On the call, he explained to the crew that a group of Palestinians and him were trying to organise a celebration to welcome the flotilla in Gaza. As Clancy and the other members of the flotilla had become aware that they wouldn’t make it to Gaza, they had to break the news on the call - and yet the man made sure to explain that they would still talk about their actions and effort to help to Palestinian children. Clancy recounted this moment as symbolic for the Palestinian population: although they were waiting help from from the outside, they were still putting in their best effort to ensure that the flotilla would feel welcome.
Going forward, Clancy argued that Ireland as a country needs to act to stop the genocide. The population needs to show politicians that we want them to represent our condemnation of Israel’s actions by demonstrating that they will lose money if they don’t. “I don’t need to tell you guys here, but we need to start costing them money”, she stated. In the context of the presidential elections, Clancy underlined her support for Catherine Connolly: “We're gonna vote for the person who stood with us on Gaza”.
Another speaker was one of three people who were arrested in May for breaking into Shannon airport in protest of the airport’s use throughout the course of the war in Palestine. She said “Now is the moment for us to escalate, if we just slow down now it just shows the war criminals that they can just do that, and that we were never serious about the freedom of Palestine in the first place”.
A UCD lecturer, and board member of UCD Justice against Palestine, also addressed the crowd, saying “It is not enough just to end the horrific practices, we must actually also contribute to a better future”.
Contributors: Gemma Bini, Ciaran Purcell, Alanna Merriman, Adam Schmitz, Judith Bellmunt