Rob Horsfield reports on the encampment begun by Warwick students in solidarity with Palestine

Having been there as a student, the University Campus is modern, corporate, and doesn’t at all lend itself to public takeover. Piazza square itself is hemmed in by bars, a food hall, even a Pret A Manger. But by 6pm, the square, designed in the style of a Greek theatre, was occupied by 200 people. The acoustics of the place boosted the strong clapping game:

Every Time that Warwick Lies
A Neighbourhood in Gaza Dies!

“We wanted to reclaim our campus,” an organiser said, “To demand Warwick divest from Israel. We’re taking lead from the global student movement in all our demands.”

A lot of Warwick’s prestigious Stem research is funded by massive R&D investments and partnerships from companies like Moog, BAE, and Rolls Royce – all of which sell weapons and equipment to Israel. This isn’t unique to Warwick, but the scale of this is hard to find in other British universities: in 1970, E.P. Thompson, edited and contributed to the book, Warwick University Ltd: Industry, Management and the Universities in his disgust at the university’s commercialisation.

And Warwick’s students have had enough. On top of the rally, Warwick Stands with Palestine have set up tents in the square. Because the university has history of crackdown on student protest, the main organisers, while friendly, were all masked. Not many of the faculty were in attendance, but those that were gave food and drinks to the occupiers. More tents are expected to be set up soon. 

This occupation should be supported by the wider Palestine solidarity movement as it develops, and encourage other campuses to do the same. PSC Coventry were there with their banner on short notice, while local and national groups are already eager to offer support. Clearly inspired by the courageous protests on American university campuses and elsewhere, this is a urgent opportunity to broaden the calls for an end to arms sales to Israel and a ceasefire. Anyone who’s able should go to the occupation and lend their support. At the end, they chanted: 

“I believe that we will win
I believe that we will win”

We better believe too.