The student movement for Palestine has won some victories, but universities are increasingly turning to authoritarian measures to repress them, reports Zahid Rahman 

In the wake of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, student activism has erupted across the globe. What began on the lawns of Columbia University has rapidly expanded to over forty countries and hundreds of universities, as students unite in solidarity with the Palestinian people and their struggle for justice. 

However, as these student actions have gained momentum, they have been met with escalating repression. Universities, instead of fostering free speech and critical engagement, have resorted to harsh measures to silence dissent. From court orders and police interventions to suspensions and disciplinary actions, no tactic has been left unexploited in the attempt to stifle activism. 

London has become a focal point of this growing movement. Encampments advocating for Palestine have sprung up at prominent institutions, including Soas, UCL, KCL, Goldsmiths, QMUL, Birkbeck, and the LSE. Students have demanded their universities divest from companies linked to arms manufacturers and the Israeli defence establishment. 

Notable victories have been achieved. At Goldsmiths, a student occupation of the library earlier this year resulted in the administration committing to full divestment from arms manufacturers. The university also announced it would name a building after Shireen Abu Akleh, the Palestinian-American journalist murdered by Israeli forces in Jenin in 2022. Meanwhile, King’s College London declared in July that it would end its investments in arms companies. 

These successes, however, are the exception rather than the norm. Many other universities have responded with hostility, resorting to repressive tactics to suppress student voices instead of addressing the ethical concerns raised. University administrations have increasingly employed Interim Possession Orders (IPOs), legal tools typically used against squatters, to evict fee-paying students from their own campuses. Cloaking their actions in the rhetoric of ‘health and safety’ or citing vague claims of ‘intimidation’, these institutions have cracked down on a movement that cuts across cultural and religious boundaries. 

Soas, one of the movement’s most prominent strongholds, illustrates the harsh realities faced by activists. The ‘Liberated Zone for Gaza’, established in May 2024, has faced relentless pushback. Students at Soas have called for full divestment from arms companies and an end to the university’s partnership with the University of Haifa, denouncing it as complicit in the Gaza genocide. Yet, these demands have been met with evictions, suspensions, and legal intimidation. 

In October 2023, four students and three staff members were suspended for participating in a protest. Two democratically elected student-union co-presidents were ousted from their positions, likely due to their outspoken support for Palestine. These actions signal a disturbing escalation of authoritarianism on campuses, in stark contrast to the supposed commitment of universities to free expression and democratic values. 

In July, Soas students received eviction notices with just 24-hours’ notice before a court hearing. The university also secured an injunction banning all protests not explicitly ‘authorised’ by the University of London. This sweeping measure not only targets Palestine solidarity demonstrations but also affects striking workers, including cleaners at Birkbeck, who are fighting for fair pay and better conditions. Adding insult to injury, Soas cited Martin Luther King Jr. in its justification for these measures, a deeply ironic and cynical appropriation of his legacy. 

The repressive tendencies of Soas management are exemplified by its vice-chancellor, Adam Habib. During his tenure at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, Habib had called in police to suppress student protests with stun grenades, tear gas, and rubber bullets. These students had protested against a spike in fees in 2016. When asked in an interview whether he regretted his actions, he unrepentantly replied, ‘I’d do it again’. His tenure at Soas has brought the same authoritarian approach to London. 

These attacks on student activism are a direct assault on the right to protest and the values of solidarity and justice. On Thursday, 28 November, a rally will be held at Malet Street at 1 PM to stand in defence of these rights and to support the students of Soas in their struggle. 

The repression faced by these activists is not just an attack on them but on all who value free expression and ethical governance. Now is the time to stand in solidarity and ensure their voices are not silenced.