The activist group Youth Demand have claimed that one of the students alleged to have been involved in the James McCune Smith (JMS) protest last week has been banned from the University of Glasgow campus.
The group, who are a student offshoot of Just Stop Oil, took to Instagram today to claim that Hannah Taylor, 24, had been “banned from uni for opposing genocide”.
Their post continued: “Last week, Hannah and Catriona painted Glasgow University red for their investments in arms being used to commit war crimes in Gaza.
“Rather than exiting out of these murder contracts, the University have decided to try and ban Hannah from campus, stopping them from attending lectures and exams, whilst still expecting them to pay fees.
“This comes after a University-officiated survey found the overwhelming majority of students and staff support a full divestment from arms used to bomb children in Palestine.”
Taylor was arrested at the scene on the morning of Thursday 6 February after she and University of Strathclyde student Catriona Roberts, 22, sprayed red paint on the exterior of the £90 million JMS Learning Hub building before glueing themselves to the pavement outside.
Youth Demand soon took responsibility for the protest, releasing a video with one of those involved saying: “It is our job to stand up and demand a trade embargo with Israel and the UK in order to prevent further complicity of the UK in the Palestinian genocide.”
A petition has also been launched by Hannah Taylor arguing for the University to reverse the decision.
In the petition’s description, Taylor says: “last week I painted one of the university buildings in protest of their heinous arms investment policies. Now Glasgow University Management are trying to ban me from campus for months; stopping me from going to my lectures and exams whilst still expecting me to pay my fees. Under these circumstances there is no way I’ll be able to pass my degree.
“My escalation was necessary in the face of management’s underhanded attempt to placate us without making any meaningful change.”
As of the writing of this article, the petition has garnered 34 signatures.
The University of Glasgow does not comment on individual students, although a spokesperson told Hillhead Review: “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 activities which interfere with the rights of others to go about their business in peace.”
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