Communist Students supporter Tara Santiago reports from the King’s College Occupation

King’s is holding it’s third day of occupation in the lecture theatre K2.31 after a wonderful show of solidarity between the Hands Off The People of Iran- organised Moshe Machover talk, and the sit-in protesters at the Strand.

Contrary to what certain commentators of the recently published article in The Guardian about the protest at King’s suggested, the sit-in campaign has encouraged unification between Jews, Arabs and various other cross-sections of the student community to unite in it’s condemnation of a Zionist state.

The students of the protest are a moderately sized, eclectic group of strong-minded individuals. One finds oneself surrounded, among others, by an undergraduate Iraqi,  an ex-British soldier and a Jewish socialist. Apart from a rather cranky SWP member, the atmosphere was one of unanimity and camaraderie. These students also await a swelling in their barracks from several pro-Palestinian societies in the coming days.

Speaking of the honorary doctorate awarded to Israeli President Shimon Peres by King’s College London, the students gave a statement saying:

“We stand in solidarity with the people of Gaza and refuse to let our university, one which we are very proud of being a part of, award a doctorate to a man who has not only been an advocate of the recent brutality in Gaza, but also a protagonist in the history of bloodshed that has scarred the Middle East.”

The King’s students have made repeated calls for:

1)Shimon Peres’ honorary doctorate to be immediately revoked by King’s College London.

2)King’s College should issue a formal statement condemning Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip.

3)King’s College should provide five fully-funded scholarships to Palestinian students.

4)King’s College should facilitate a cross-campus fundraising day to raise money for the crisis in Gaza. This should be sent to the charity Medical Aid for Palestinians.

5)King’s College should establish links with universities and other educational institutions affected by the crisis in Gaza in solidarity with their plight.

6)King’s College should present us with a transparent list of investments in the arms trade, particularly those in GKN. King’s College should divest immediately from the arms trade.

7)Any old books, computers or other unwanted teaching/administrative resources should as soon as possible or at the end of this term be donated to universities or schools in the Gaza Strip that have been affected by Israel’s attack.

8)There should be no repercussions for any students involved in this protest. Universities should be a place where freedom of expression is encouraged, and the student movement in the UK and around the world has a proud tradition of organising protest actions, whether against South African Apartheid or the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.