University staff at UCL in the UK remove their hair to urge the institution to withdraw financial investments in Israel
Headlines Blaze Across Campuses: Solidarity to the Fore
Here's a fiery spin on the headline-making events unfolding at University College London and the University of Cambridge!
Fueled by passion and a desire for change, female staff members and alumnae at UCL took a bold stand by sheaving their heads. They did this to put pressure on the institution to sever ties with Israel, joining a chorus of academics urging UCL to divest and boycott Israeli universities.
The audacious demonstration took place amidst supporters gathered to commemorate Nakba Day. May, a UCL technician, took the plunge first as she shaved off her locks, asserting that the act symbolized the "dehumanization" faced by Palestinian women in Gaza.
Speaking to Middle East Eye, May expressed her outrage over UCL's continued investment in arms companies and partnerships with Barclays which poured more money into firms capitalizing on the ongoing conflict.
A lecturer at UCL, Elle, followed suit, shaving her head to put an end to research collaborations with Israeli universities. Elle cited her obligation to ensure her work doesn't enable the denial of Palestinians' right to dignity, knowledge, history, humanity, or even existence.
This dramatic display of solidarity echoed similar protests by women in Gaza, who resorted to shaving their heads to save water amidst the ongoing displacement and scarcity in the region.
Like a wildfire, the movement has swept across other British universities as well. Pro-Palestinian encampments have sprung up at King's College London, the London School of Economics, and Queen Mary University in East London, demanding transparency in the universities' relationships with companies complicit in the ongoing ethnic cleansing of Palestine.
Across the way, the University of Cambridge was caught ablaze as well. The Cambridge for Palestine campaign, which started on May 6th, saw students occupy the famous Senate House's lawn, devastatingly threatening to disrupt upcoming graduation ceremonies.
Hungry for change, these students are demanding that the university shares details of their partnerships with companies involved in Israel's actions against Gaza while offering support to Palestinian students and academics, plus a pledge to protect academic freedom.
When approached by Middle East Eye, UCL remained eerily silent on the matter. But make no mistakes, the heat is on, and change may well be in the wind! Don't miss our MEE newsletter updates to stay on top of the latest developments in Jerusalem, Turkey, and other global hotspots!
- The bold headline-making events at University College London (UCL) and the University of Cambridge have sparked a fire of solidarity, particularly with regards to Palestine.
- In a powerful symbol of resistance, female staff members and alumnae at UCL shaved their heads to pressure the institution to divest from Israel and boycott Israeli universities.
- This action was taken on Nakba Day, amidst a chorus of academics urging UCL to disassociate from arms companies and Israeli universities.
- Echoing the struggles of Palestinian women in Gaza, May, a UCL technician, shaved her head, asserting that the act symbolized the "dehumanization" faced by Palestinian women.
- In the medium of social media and general news outlets, the movement has expanded to other British universities such as King's College London, the London School of Economics, and Queen Mary University, demanding transparency in their relationships with companies complicit in Palestinian displacement and ethnic cleansing.
- At the University of Cambridge, students, under the campaign "Cambridge for Palestine," have taken extreme measures, threatening to disrupt graduation ceremonies in demanding support for Palestinian students and academics, a pledge to protect academic freedom, and transparency in the university's partnerships with involved companies.
