Glasgow University Justice for Palestine Society (GUJPS) have claimed that a student has been banned from campus for participation in a direct action protest.
Glasgow University Magazine (GUM) has named the student as Neve McLean, a fourth-year Sociology student, saying she was banned for participation in a protest at the University’s open day last week. The protests carried out by GUJPS involved masked activists disrupting lectures for prospective University of Glasgow students.
In a press release, McLean said: “The University’s decision to ban me has been extremely frustrating, but ultimately unsurprising. They would rather put time and resources into punitive measures instead of meaningfully engaging with the large population of staff and students at this University who believe an institution of education has no business investing in weapons.
“In the final stages of my degree I have been banned from accessing any University facilities. Senior management should be ashamed of themselves. The student intifada on campus fighting for divestment should be very proud of themselves, clearly the pressure is working.”
Hillhead Review understands that this is the first punitive action to be taken against a student over the increase in pro-Palestine activity since February.
GUJPS shared a statement claiming that staff have been instructed not to meet the student off campus. The University allegedly told the student that they are “a substantial risk to the wider University community.” The student caused “fear and distress to minors.”
In response, GUJPS shared; “This unprecedented response clearly demonstrates that senior management will do anything to protect their share in genocide and their reputation.”
Through GUJPS, the banned student said; “The cowardly abuses of the disciplinary system only unite us further…targeting of individuals will always prove futile. Divestment is inevitable.”
This news follows the removal of Hannah Taylor’s campus ban, following her alleged vandalism of the James McCune Smith Learning Hub (JMS) in February. Taylor was fined by the University, but is now allowed back onto campus.
The University has seen a rampant increase in direct-action protests over the semester. GUJPS have been responsible for occupying the Charles Wilson Building, blocking University Avenue, alongside other pro-Palestine protests. Several students also went on hunger strike.
The University of Glasgow and GUJPS have been contacted for comment.
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