By Ben Kerrigan-
Hundreds of students at the University of Manchester faced significant disruptions to their end-of-year exams after pro-Palestine activists occupied the historic Whitworth Hall. The occupation began over the bank holiday weekend, with several dozen protesters setting up a solidarity camp within the 129-year-old building.
The sit-in protest, orchestrated by Manchester Left Action, was launched on Friday night after the university administration declined to engage with the activists’ demands. Key among these demands were calls for the university to terminate its partnership with weapons manufacturer BAE Systems and to sever ties with educational institutions in Israel.
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On Monday,(yesterday), hundreds of Pro-Palestinian protesters marched through central Manchester, chanting for a ceasefire and ending the occupation.
Similar demonstrations took place in other cities, with thousands rallying against the recent violence in Gaza. The Friends of al-Aqsa human rights movement also organized an emergency rally outside Downing Street in London, urging an immediate response to the crisis.
The Telegraph reports that protesters have equipped themselves with sufficient supplies to sustain the occupation for the “foreseeable future,” which has already resulted in multiple days of exam disruptions. A large Palestinian flag draped over the hall’s balcony on Tuesday morning signaled the protesters’ continued presence.
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In response, a University of Manchester spokesperson confirmed that no actions by staff or police have been taken to evict the occupiers. “Greater Manchester Police were in attendance, as is standard procedure for large protests,” the spokesperson said. “Despite claims made on social media, no action has been taken to remove those occupying Whitworth Hall, by either our Campus Support and Security staff or Greater Manchester Police.”
The university expressed its disappointment over the situation, stating that it has initiated its exam contingency plans. “We have written to the individuals occupying the Whitworth Hall complex, requesting that they vacate the premises to allow student exams to proceed as planned. Unfortunately, they have refused. It is deeply disappointing that their actions are directly impacting on what is already one of the most intense periods in the academic year.”
The protest at the University of Manchester is part of a broader wave of pro-Palestine demonstrations across the UK, sparked by recent Israeli airstrikes in Rafah that killed 45 people, including women and children. These events have drawn global condemnation and triggered calls for a ceasefire and an end to the occupation from protesters worldwide.
The UN has reported that since the conflict’s escalation on October 7, the Gaza health ministry has identified 25,000 fatalities, including 4,959 women and 7,797 children. The ongoing violence has drawn sharp criticism and demands for an end to the fighting from international leaders.
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