Trinity College protesters celebrate "partial victory"

Opinion
07 May 24

Credit: Jesse Sleator

"We are committed to continuing our peaceful encampment until all of our demands are met in full," a statement shared by the TCD Students' Union and Trinity BDS Campaign reads.

As the Gaza solidarity encampment at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) continues, the 'Free Trinity' group have issued a statement – celebrating a 'partial success' in their protest, following a meeting between Trinity management representatives and encampment representatives yesterday evening.

Since the meeting, the TCD website has been updated, to state that the college:

"welcomes reports of Gaza ceasefire"
"condemns the onslaught on Gaza" and supports the ICJ finding on genocide
will align with the Government's "decision to divest from investments in Occupied Palestinian Territory"
will establish a Trinity Task Force "to consider links to Israeli universities and institutions in other states"
has placed eight Palestinian scholars on Trinity courses, with more to follow

"This is the first proactive engagement the College has had with the BDS group on campus in years, and this is a direct result of the pressure and power that student and staff protest has on campus," the Trinity protesters have remarked in a statement, shared on both the TCD Students' Union and the TCD BDS Campaign's Instagram accounts.

Credit: Jesse Sleator

"While we appreciate these steps are being taken, we note that there are more Israeli companies in the endowment fund as well as suppliers and exchanges that the university has ties to. These will be explored further during ongoing negotiations as the camp goes on."

The statement also notes that TCD has "made the commitment to treat the encampment as an internal matter, thus ruling out the involvement of Gardaí or legal action." The group state that this will allow them to "enter a new phase of the encampment," involving a range of "activities and events that will allow Trinity students and staff to become more involved without fear of academic or legal retribution."

Credit: Jesse Sleator

"We are committed to continuing our peaceful encampment until all of our demands are met in full," they continue, "which includes the retroactive amnesty of students involved in protests on campus and the rescinding of the €214,000 bill imposed on the Student's Union."

The group go on to remark that this "partial victory" is "just the first step" – and it "hopefully will be one towards ending Ireland's complicity in the oppression of Palestinians, bringing them closer to a liberated future."

Credit: Jesse Sleator

The encampment, and the Book of Kells blockade, has sparked international headlines in recent days. As part of TCD's statement yesterday evening, the college revealed that a student or staff ID card will required to gain access to campus.

"I hope that students will take this partial success as a driving force behind continuing action," TCD BDS Chair Isobel Duffy commented. "The engagement that we have received from students, staff and outsiders on this encampment has been unprecedented. We welcome all of those who agree with out principles to join us in the camp. We must not cease to push and pressure College to end all of their complicity with the genocide in Gaza. We will never be satisfied with half-measures. The students united will never be defeated."