The University of Birmingham is censoring students’ beliefs about Gaza by calling for the closure of a pro-Palestinian camp on its campus, a High Court has heard.
The University of Birmingham is one of several universities taking legal action to try to evict protesting students, and a lawsuit brought by the University of Nottingham is due to be heard before the same judge on Friday.
The University of Birmingham sought a possession order at the Royal Courts on Thursday to evict the “Greenheart” encampment from its Edgbaston campus and prevent it from moving to other parts of the site.
“The unauthorized camp creates a significant risk of public disorder and serious harm to people and property that naturally requires immediate action. It is also causing significant economic loss and disruption to university activities,” university lawyer Katherine Holland said in written argument.
The sole defendant, Mariya Ali, 20, argued that granting ownership to the university was unlawful because it discriminated against her protected philosophical beliefs, including Palestinian liberation and opposition to genocide, and violated her rights to free speech and freedom of assembly.
In his testimony, Ali said the university had “clear links” to weapons companies, including BAE Systems.
“We’re not disrupting core educational activities so I don’t think that’s the reason they’re asking for ownership,” Ali said. [one] Stop learning, studying and researching and be outside on the grass.
“However, we are protesting the university’s financial and organizational ties to the Greenheart camp. We feel this is a censorship tactic that prevents us from getting our message out and expressing our beliefs from campus. We are doing so because our expression is directed directly at the university.”
The Greenheart camp began on May 9 in an effort to force the university to disclose its financial ties to Israel and provide assurances that it is not funding the Gaza war.
This year, students from more than 30 universities have set up camps in support of Palestine. According to the Palestinian Student Action in London:A week ago, the London School of Economics received a court order banning camping in one of its buildings indefinitely, and Queen Mary, University of London (QMUL) is seeking a similar order.
On 14 June, an occupancy order was issued for Chancellor’s Court, another encampment site at the University of Birmingham, after which some protesters moved to the Green Hart.
“The University’s restrictions on Defendants’ rights are disproportionate. The University has simply sought to end the student occupation without allowing them to continue the occupation in an alternative location or forum that would strike a fair balance between the University’s right to continue operations and the Defendants’ rights,” Liz Davis, an attorney representing Ali, said in written argument.
Holland said the university supports freedom of expression, but added: “The unauthorized occupation is not an expression of opinion. It is a specific direct action taken to disrupt the activities of the university and other students and staff, and to force the university to comply with demands.”
She argued that Ali simply held “a view on the current state of available information rather than any philosophical beliefs.”
In a witness statement, the university’s legal director Nicola Cardenas Blanco said the camp had cost the university £22,000 in direct costs, including security, £195,000 in tents to move for 28 graduation ceremonies, and more than £30,000 to relocate 60 barbecue venues.
Referring to a banner that read, “Are you bothered by the encampment? Look away like you did during the genocide!!,” Blanco said, “I can only imagine how this must feel to other members of the university community, particularly Jewish faculty, staff and students, and others who do not agree with the encampment’s views.”
Sentencing was reserved until a later date.
