Drop the UoB2 disciplinaries! Joint statement with Birmingham UCU
The past year has been one of horror and tragedy for the people of Gaza, Palestine and Lebanon. It has been necessary for all activists, trade unions and those who defend humanitarian values to bring the attention of the world to this situation, and to use their voices within their institutions to reduce suffering and injustice.
The University of Birmingham’s ties to injustice
Like many UK organisations, the University of Birmingham regrettably has both financial and non-financial links to companies and entities who are complicit in the Israeli government’s genocidal actions against the Palestinian people.
In past statements from our branches we have saluted the bravery and determination of student activists at the University who have organised in support of the people of Gaza, while calling on the University to do the same by ending this support for human rights abuses.
When the bombs started dropping on Gaza, students took to the University’s public places, starting an encampment that brought together students from all backgrounds, faiths and politics to call for an end to the violence. They asked for the University to work with student and staff representatives on divestment and ethical investment policies, and for a free Palestine.
The University’s response: The UoB2
Sadly, the University has so far done little to respond to these calls. Worse, it is now moving to single out and punish those it has labeled as identified as “”leaders” of the protest movement. The “UoB2” are students here at the University. Like any other student they came here to learn, to add their knowledge and beliefs to the community and to live in accordance with their morals and values. This led them to participate in protests on campus, alongside hundreds of other students and staff.
The University is targeting them for their participation in the protests, threatening disciplinary action which could mean expulsion.. While the University itself has been silent about the reasons for the disciplinary action, the students themselves have had no choice but to go public. They have highlighted that the disciplinary case centres around the students perceived failure to follow the University’s paradoxically named “freedom of speech” policy, which seeks to police the boundaries of acceptable protest at the University.
Concerns with the Freedom of Speech policy and punishing protest
Both UCU and UNISON have had grave concerns about the FoS policy, which was updated in April 2024 without consultation or negotiation with the trade unions. While it is important that protests can happen safely and lawfully, our own experience with the policy has so far suggested that the University is more concerned about preventing disruption and embarrassment during key University events.
We feel that the severity and importance of the situation in Gaza, as well as the very strong emotions it will undeniably evoke, means that the bar for seeking to penalise protestors should be very high indeed. While protestors may have had a range of political views, they have been united in the past year in their sense of urgency in opposing a genuine and utterly avoidable humanitarian emergency. When up to hundreds of people, including children, were dying every day, and institutions were failing to take steps to do their part in ending it, surely some urgency and energy in mobilising and protesting is justified. By moving to penalise the UoB2, the University’s leadership is making a statement that it will not accept being held accountable by its own students.
How you can help:
A public campaign in support of the students is now gaining momentum, with the UN Special Rapporteur on the freedom of peaceful assembly and association calling out the University on social media for its disregard of the principles of academic freedom of speech.
Given all of this our branches:
- Call on all of our members and supporters to read and sign the petition in support of the UoB2
- Call on all of our members and supporters to circulate and amplify the #UoB2 campaign on social media
- Call on the University to urgently confirm publicly that these disciplinary cases will be dropped, and that these students will not face any further punitive action for their part in the protests