Red paint has been sprayed on the Gilbert Scott and James Watt Buildings, including the words “divest now”. Glasgow University Justice for Palestine society (GUJPS) took to Instagram to share an anonymous statement, taking responsibility for the graffiti.
The statement read, “Today, Glasgow University Court meets yet again without even discussing, let alone committing to divestment… What gives the court members the right to continue to ignore the cries of the student and staff body, (sic) we thought it fitting to remind them that their PROFITS ARE COVERED IN PALESTINIAN BLOOD.”
The statement also references the start of the summer graduation season tomorrow, saying “when over 12,000 Palestinian students have been slaughtered, when there are no graduates in Gaza, there can be NO BUSINESS AS USUAL.”
It is currently unclear who is responsible for the spray paint, and if they will face repercussions from the University, or the Police, however, Police Scotland have been in attendance.
GUJPS previously called for “all Glasgow Uni graduates” to display flags and banners at their graduation ceremonies. However, it is currently unclear whether further disruptive action is planned during the graduation period.
The Court is the governing body of the University, and met today. The issue of divestment was not on the agenda, provoking outrage from GUJPS and other anti-arms activists.
The Student Representative Council (SRC) held an indicative referendum in March, in which 89.3% of those polled voted ‘Yes’ to the question “Should the University of Glasgow stop investing in companies that earn more than 10% of their revenue from the arms and defence industry?” This represented around 17% of all students.
The University told Hillhead Review: “The University notes the result of the indicative student referendum. We will continue to engage with students and the SRC on divestment and will share the referendum result with Court.”
Hannah Taylor was previously banned from campus for the alleged vandalism of the James McCune Smith Learning Hub (JMS), although was allowed back after paying a small fine. Neve McLean was also banned over a disruptive protest. Hillhead Review understands that she will not be allowed to attend her graduation ceremony.
The University of Glasgow said: “The University of Glasgow upholds the right to freedom of expression, including the right of staff and students to engage in peaceful demonstrations. However, we do not tolerate criminal activities or those which interfere with the rights of others to go about their business in peace.
“As an institution we stand against hate or harassment of any kind. We regularly communicate with all our staff and students about the need for tolerance towards each other, and we reiterate this call for all members of our community to be respectful to each other at all times.”
Leave a Reply