Whiteknights campus protest update

Since the student protest concerning the conflict in Gaza began on Whiteknights campus in May, the University has engaged positively with the protesters.

The Vice-Chancellor and other colleagues have remained in regular dialogue with the protesters, making clear that we are always open to opinions on how we can most appropriately operate and support our community.

We have made the safety of our university community, including the students protesting and other campus users, our priority. Security Services colleagues have been in place throughout to help maintain the respectful conduct of all parties that has been observed for the vast majority of the protest.

We have discussed the concerns raised by the protesters and responded with action to address several of them, including doubling support for our asylum seeker scholarship scheme and reviewing our investments policy.

The protesters have been informed a number of times over the past month that the protest cannot achieve anything more in its present form, and that all efforts would be better invested in continuing a dialogue without a physical encampment.

There are also a number of upcoming events in the University calendar that are critically important to our operations, including the arrival of students for Welcome Week in September. Many of these activities revolve around our central Palmer Quad, and there is no appropriate alternative venue or date they can be held.

These activities are also critically important to our community – many of our incoming students rely on them to help them navigate and settle in to life at Reading, and to make new friendship groups that will be the backbone of their new support networks and university life.

Notice to leave

Given these circumstances, the University has today (Thursday) formally issued the members of the encampment with a notice stating they do not have permission for this encampment on campus. This notice has also been displayed at key sites on campus.

The protesters have been given until 31 July to vacate the quad, and informed that further steps will be taken to obtain a court order to remove them if they remain in place.

The University has been clear throughout the protest that we support the right of our staff and students to exercise their freedom of speech and to peaceful protest within the law. We continue to welcome correspondence from and dialogue with any colleague or student about matters they feel strongly about.

We have also been clear that protest action cannot be allowed to continue at the expense of core University operations. While issuing formal notice in this way was not a course of action we wanted to take, it is now necessary to allow important activities to resume in the normal way.

Like many others, we have been horrified by the devastating loss of life due to the conflict in Israel and Gaza. We are aware of the impact this continues to have on our staff and students and have engaged with several groups, including the Friends of Palestine Society and our Jewish Society to offer our support.

The welfare of staff and students throughout this protest has been an important concern, and continues to be as the international conflict continues.

Colleagues can access our wellbeing webpages, including our Employee Assistance Programme that can be contacted 24/7 all year round.

Students can also access a range of support from the Student Welfare team.