Students arrested and exams canceled as pro-Palestinian protesters occupy exam schools – The Oxford Student

This morning, a group claiming to be autonomous from OA4P (Oxford Action for Palestine) occupied a room in the East Writing School building of the Exam Schools. This led to the cancellation of a second-year chemistry exam and at least four arrests.

The group said it would remain in the building “until the University agrees to respond to all demands (6 OA4P) and grant academic and legal amnesty to all individuals who took part in the coalition “.

The demands include annual disclosure of the university’s assets, divestment from Israeli businesses and arms companies, and an overhaul of its investment policy. They also demand an end to ties with Israeli universities and academic institutions, an end to banking operations with Barclays and the reconstruction of Palestinian academia.

The group also renamed Exam Schools Dahshan Schools in honor of Saeed Dashan, a Palestinian academic and specialist in international law.

The coalition said that “by renaming the schools in his honor, we hope to amplify the work of all Palestinian scholars who were killed during the (Israeli) Scholasticide and highlight the paths to justice designed by the Palestinian people.” .

Police arrived on scene and at least 6 officers entered the building. Protesters and students chant “Free Palestine, free” and “What do we want, liberation.” When do we want it? NOW.”

There are at least 20 protests in front of the building, fewer than previous protests.

The occupants of the examination schools hang the examination papers on the building. On these papers, they wrote “Free Palestine”.

This action follows more than a month of the pro-Palestinian encampment set up in front of the Pitt Rivers Museum, and a little less than a month after the encampment set up in front of the Radcliffe Camera.

Following significant backlash after a sit-in by OA4P members resulted in 17 arrests, the University agreed last week to meet with members of the OA4P coalition.

However, the group occupying the review schools said the “dialogue meeting with pro-VCs and the OA4P negotiating team” was a “delaying tactic that unfortunately worked”. The group further stated that no “action points were proposed and no commitments, other than those that were vague and abstract, were made.”

The University of Oxford has been contacted for comment.

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