Wednesday 15th May marked the 76th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba, as students and members of the public continue to protest across university campuses.
Student encampments are taking place all over the UK as a result of the situation in Gaza and the Rafah Crossing.
Encampments are occupying university campuses in Sheffield, Manchester, and across London, as well as many others across the country.
The Nakba took place on 15th May 1948, and is remembered every year by Palestinians for the colonisation of 78% of their land, and the deaths of 80% of the population.
‘Nakba’ is the Arabic word for catastrophe, and is widely used to refer to the ongoing crisis in Palestine.
Kiran Harrison, 48, a Parents For Peace organiser and activist from Worthing has been campaigning for Palestine and plans to visit the encampments over the summer. Parents For Peace was set up to support people affected by the ongoing conflict, and campaign within smaller communities.
She said: “I think the students are absolutely brilliant, seeing young people do this gives me great hope for the future.
“We know that the types of students that are sitting in encampments are peace loving students who want a world where everybody has the right opportunities – it’s not easy, I know that students face disciplinary action. I will be going to some of the encampments in the summer, including the ones in Sheffield, to show my support and give people whatever they need.”
The students partaking in encampments face resistance from the government, as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been accused of scaremongering by some senior staff at universities across the UK.
Mr Sunak condemned “extremists”, who he believes oppose the principle of a Jewish state.
Protesters argue that their demonstrations are not anti-semetic, and intend to be peaceful.
When asked about this, Kiran said: “There is nothing more disempowering than being shut down, the way Palestinian protests are being shut down by inflammatory rhetoric.
“The encampments are a vital symbol of our young people’s freedom of speech, intelligence and brilliance, and knowing that they have that right to say ‘not in our name’.”
The encampment at the University of Sheffield’s student union remains ongoing. Members of the camp have listed three demands to the university, requesting that they “boycott, divest, and take accountability for complicity.”
Kiran said: “I think it’s really important emotionally for the young people in Palestine to see young people around the world stand up, take risks. What strikes me is how alone Palestine has been over the last 76 years.
“All the subjugation and horror the Palestinians had to undergo, and they’re still here, reaching people in America, in the UK, in Switzerland, all of these wonderful students that weren’t even a glimmer in their parents eye when the Nakba happened.”
