King's Students Occupy Lecture Theatre

Tuesday 20 January 2009

Press Release

KING'S STUDENT OCCUPATION BEGINS TO DEMAND AN IMMEDIATE REVOCATION OF PERES AWARD

Students from King's College London have begun an occupation in an urgent move to demand action from the institution.

Over 40 student have taken over a lecture theatre at Strand campus this morning (20.1.09), following a wave of protest occupations that have swept across UK universities. The occupation has grown to over 80 students this afternoon, all standing in solidarity with Gaza.

The move comes in light of the King's College Council's decision to award President Shimon Peres with an honorary doctorate, for the apparent recognition of his "peaceful solution to conflicts in the Middle East”, in November 2008. The subsequent muteness of the Principal following the devastating assault on the Gaza Strip has been equally obscene.

The appalling Israeli actions have killed over 1,300 Palestinians and injured thousands. Tens of thousands of civilians have been left homeless and displaced. Head of the UN Palestinian refugee agency in Gaza, John Ging, is now joining international calls for an investigation into the war crimes of recent action. Israel stands accused of using banned weapons such as phosphorus bombs, attacking medical facilities, including the killing of 12 ambulance men in marked vehicles, and killing large numbers of policemen who had no military role, amongst numerous other atrocious crimes.

A spokesperson has said, "The Principal's initial response did not answer our concerns. Peres’ role in the Qana massacre of April 1996, involving the shelling of a UN refugee camp in Lebanon, was completely ignored. Given the very serious war crimes allegations that Israel is now facing due to its recent actions in the Gaza Strip, we are once again calling on the doctorate to be immediately revoked by King’s College London."

Over 500 students have signed the petition to revoke the award online.

The students are also demanding that King's College issue a formal statement condemning the Israeli action and bombardment of Gaza Islamic University, and provide a transparent list of their arms investments in Israel.

SOAS, LSE and Essex universities began the movement in solidarity with Palestine after the start of the Gaza onslaught, and numerous other universities are expected to follow later this week.

The peaceful occupation continues and promises to welcome high profile speakers during the week.


DEMANDS IN FULL:

King’s College London should issue a formal statement condemning Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip, acknowledging particularly the effect on educational institutions, such as the bombing of the Gaza Islamic University, and expressing unwavering condemnation on the war crimes allegations. King’s College should encourage other universities in the Russell Group to make such a call, as well as informing the national press and the UK and Israeli governments of this call.

Shimon Peres’s honorary doctorate be immediately revoked by King’s College London. As Israeli Head of State, having issued public support for potential war crimes in the Gaza Strip, we believe that the vast majority of the King’s College community would support this doctorate being immediately revoked as a gesture to demonstrate that King’s College is deeply concerned by Israel’s actions in Gaza.

King’s College London should provide five fully-funded scholarships to Palestinian students, giving such students an opportunity to an education which the attack on Gaza and the previous blockade has denied to them.

King’s College London should facilitate a cross-campus fundraising day to raise money for the crisis in Gaza. This should be sent to the charity Medical Aid for Palestinians.

King’s College London should establish links with universities and other educational institutions affected by the crisis in Gaza, in solidarity with their plight.

King’s College London should present us with a transparent list of investments in the arms trade, particularly those in GKN. King’s College should divest immediately from the arms trade.

Any old books, computers or other unwanted teaching/administrative resources should be donated to universities or schools in the Gaza Strip that have been affected by Israel’s attack, as soon as possible and before the end of this term.

There should be no repercussions for any students involved in this protest. Universities should be a place where freedom of expression is encouraged. The student movement in the UK and around the world has a proud tradition of organizing protest actions, whether against South African Apartheid or Zionist terrorism.


NOTES TO EDITORS:

1) For more information please contact kcloccupation@gmail.com
2) The group have set up a blog with frequent updates at http://www.kcloccupation.blogspot.com
3) The KCL Peres press release can be found online at
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/news_details.php?news_id=947&year=2008
4) The Peres petition can be found online at http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/revoke-shimon-peres-honorary-doctorate.html
5) Media outlets should contact kcloccupation@gmail.com before attending the occupation.