Protesting students ‘confident’ blockade will force Trinity to cut Israeli ties

Visitors were unable to access the historic Book of Kells over the weekend due to the action that began on Friday evening when student activists set up tents inside the campus of the prestigious university.

The university authorities have cut off public access to the grounds in response to the protest.

Outgoing students’ union president Laszlo Molnarfi said the size of the camp continued to grow, with around 100 people and 70 tents as of Sunday.

He said they were committed to maintaining the blockade of the Book of Kells until the university severed all ties with Israel.

“The Book of Kells is blockaded, there’s absolutely no tourism and we’re staying there,” he said.

“So, I think this is putting a lot of student and staff pressure on them (the university authorities).”

Mr Molnarfi said, as of Sunday afternoon, university officials had yet to reach out to those taking part in the protest since it began.

He said there was a lot of energy in the encampment.

“People are very confident,” he said.

“There is board games and guitar and political discussions and music and food.

“It’s a nice community that’s been built. So people are feeling very confident.”

The scenes at Trinity follow a wave of similar student protests at university campuses across the US.

The encampment was initiated days after it emerged that the university authorities had fined the students’ union more than 200,000 euro (£172,000) over previous protests on campus.

It invoiced the union for 214,285 euro (£184,000) after a series of demonstrations about fees and rent, as well as pro-Palestinian solidarity protests.

The university cited a loss of revenue due to blockades of the Book of Kells and famous Long Room library among the reasons for the fine.

In response to the latest demonstration, the university said that while it supported the right of students to protest, they must be done within the rules of the institution.

“Trinity respects the strong stance expressed by the people participating in the encampment protest and blockade, and we support the right to peaceful protest,” it said in a statement on Saturday.

“There are also, however, many good reasons why the university’s policies, including health and safety, dignity and respect must be followed when doing so.

“Our duty of care to students and staff is paramount. In order to ensure we can deliver on that duty of care for our students, we are ensuring that those protesting on campus are members of the college community, so access to campus has been restricted to students and staff with valid college ID cards only. We have not made this decision lightly.”

The university added: “Trinity shares concerns about the ferocious onslaught in Gaza and the ongoing dire humanitarian crisis. We have taken a number of practical steps in response to the war in Gaza. These range from updating our investment portfolio with a view to excluding UN blacklist companies, to providing supports for students from Gaza coming to study in Trinity.

“Trinity is always open to engaging with staff and students on these issues: in the past week alone, the provost has met with Academics for Palestine and also with the Students’ Union president and Students’ Union officers to discuss these issues. We also continue to engage with our Jewish staff and students who are impacted.”

Trinity said it was responding to the war in Gaza in several ways, including the work to update its investment portfolio in line with a UN blacklist of companies.

In regard to ties with Israeli institutions, Trinity said it was for its academics to make their own decisions about what universities they collaborate with, insisting it would not impinge on that “cornerstone” of academic freedom.

The Irish Labour party has expressed solidarity with those taking part in the protest.

“The students of Trinity College Dublin are rightly protesting against Trinity’s financial investments in Israeli companies and links to Israeli institutions,” Labour senator Annie Hoey said.

Ms Hoey added: “The students have protested these issues consistently, and by Trinity’s rules, for the past number of months but there has been little response or action taken.

“Protest that does not cause an interruption or nuisance for the university have been ignored. It is right for the students to escalate their protest.”