- SOAS Palestine Society accuses university of censorship and suspensions after pro-Palestine rally.
- University cites “safety concerns.”
The SOAS Palestine Society is lodging allegations of censorship against university authorities in the aftermath of several student suspensions resulting from their involvement in a pro-Palestine rally on Monday, October 9th.
In a statement unveiled on X, the student society declared, “We resolutely condemn this act of repression and silencing and call upon SOAS management to cease their participation in extensive endeavors to stifle Palestinian solidarity initiatives aimed at concealing the injustices committed against the Palestinian people.”
It’s been reported that last Monday’s rally, held “in solidarity with the people of Gaza,” saw the participation of hundreds of students. Nevertheless, on Thursday the 12th, student suspensions commenced, with university-issued warnings raising concerns about the educational prospects of those engaged in the protest.
SOAS conveyed, in a statement provided to the British press, “We regret that, in this specific case, despite the allocation of a designated area for the Students’ Union Palestine Society to conduct its rally, the institution’s event and venue protocols were not adhered to, even after multiple requests to do so… During the rally, multiple fire alarms were triggered across our buildings, necessitating a full evacuation, thereby presenting a potentially significant health and safety concern and resulting in the cancellation of lectures and all SOAS activities for the remainder of the day.”
