The UoA Students’ Union fully support our students right to peaceful protest and are proud to have an encampment on our campus in the North East of Scotland, which is part of a wider movement across the UK and globally.
The UoA Students’ Union fully support our students right to peaceful protest and are proud to have an encampment on our campus in the North East of Scotland, which is part of a wider movement across the UK and globally. Our historic institution has a long history of students protesting global injustices across the world and this is no exception.
We would like to thank all students who have supported the encampment so far, whether by camping out on Elphinstone Lawn, participating in organised events and demonstrations, or donating much-needed supplies. The manner in which protesters have conducted themselves so far has been exemplary and is a shining example of student activism in the community.
The Students’ Union continues to condemn hate speech and violence in any form. The islamophobia, antisemitism, and disproportionate online hate our students have experienced during this time is unacceptable and speaks to the need for anti-racist education and training which needs to be addressed long-term.
Since the encampment was set up by the Palestinian Solidarity Society on May 6th the Students’ Union has been actively supporting students, working with support services and security to collectively ensure the safety of everyone involved. We have been mediating talks between encampment leaders and university officials from the very beginning and are continuing to facilitate discussions.
We stand with the encampment in calling for the University of Aberdeen to divest from all investments relating to the arms industry. No money intended for our education should be used to fund war directly or indirectly. As our small contribution the Students’ Union is committed to ensuring our financial investments align with our values and reflect student opinion, and to this end are currently undergoing a major review as part of our Ethical Framework.
The Students’ Union and its elected officers condemn the Israeli government’s actions targeting Palestinian lives resulting in the deaths of more than 35,000 men, women and children since October 7th, 2023. We call for an immediate ceasefire along with the release of all hostages taken on that day.
We urge the university to quickly address the demands of the encampment and join the campaign for peace, and we look forward to continuing to work together towards this shared goal.