Following the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, King’s College London Stand For Justice (KCL S4J) held a silent protest on Strand Campus
Members of the KCL S4J began their demonstration with a silent protest in the middle of King’s Hall. Students sat on the ground, holding printed signs condemning Israel’s violence against Palestinians, denouncing apartheid, and holding KCL as complicit in the war.
The members remained silent as students and staff passed by, demonstrating a consistent and commanding presence in the Hall. As morning classes began, the demonstration gathered a crowd, with some onlookers reading or taking photos of the signs.
Some members stated that during the silent protest, Palestinian students and teachers expressed gratitude for their efforts. However, despite there being no visible counter-protests, a demonstrator alleged to Roar that one individual said “f*** off” as they passed by her at the protest.
By noon, the members moved from King’s Hall to the front of Strand Campus. They chanted slogans decrying what they have long viewed as KCL’s complicity in the genocide of Palestinians. Demonstrators also distributed flyers to students and staff, detailing their demands for KCL’s divestment.
Non-demonstrating students who spoke with Roar expressed support for the protestors.
Israel-Hamas Ceasefire
After over a year of war, Israel and Hamas agreed on a ceasefire deal on 15 January 2025. The ceasefire began with Israeli troops pulling back from Gaza’s borders and the exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
The first exchange was on Sunday, 19 January. 3 Israeli hostages and 90 Palestinian prisoners were released. The first exchange was met with immense relief and celebration from both sides and the families of those imprisoned.
However, political commentators have expressed worry over the ‘fragile’ nature of the ceasefire and question whether the hostage agreement will hold. Accusations from both sides regarding deal violations have led to the withholding of hostages and prisoners on the supposed exchange dates.
Despite the ceasefire agreement, Israeli air strikes and bombings have resumed. Israel claims these strikes were to repel suspicious persons or vehicles “not approved for passage according to the agreement”. Nonetheless, approximately 300,000 displaced people in Southern Gaza made the crossing northward.
KCL S4J’s Demands for KCL
Throughout the 2023/2024 academic year, KCL S4J and other pro-Palestine groups and students organized five demands to the university. These were:
- Condemn Israeli war crimes in Palestine
- Boycott all Israeli academic institutions involved in maintaining occupation, apartheid, ethnic cleansing and genocide in Palestine
- Divest from all corporations and arms manufacturers complicit in Israeli apartheid, genocide and scholasticide
- Pledge to assist the rebuilding of Gaza’s destroyed education sector, establish academic ties with Palestinian universities and expand scholarships for Palestinian students, including setting up a new scholarship in the name of Dr Maisara al-Rayyes
- Safeguard the freedom of speech for students, staff and allies engaging in protests and expressing Palestinian solidarity
Negotiations between the students and the university’s finance executives resulted in King’s updating its ethical investment policy in November 2024. The updated EIP obliges the university to no longer ‘Hold any direct or indirect (via pooled funds) investments in companies deemed to be engaged in controversial weapons.’ It further stipulates that ‘Exposure to any such investments will be monitored regularly.’ KCL was the first London university to make such an announcement.
In a statement on the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, KCL S4P said:
For every martyr that fell in Gaza, KCL made a return on investment. Including from the murder of two King’s community members – Dr. Maisara Al-Rayyes and Dr. Adnan Al-Bursh. While we may all take a breath and understand the relief felt by the announcement of the ceasefire, we too much be steadfast in our resolve.
To read more about pro-Palestine activism at King’s during the 2023/2024 academic year, click here.
(edit: correctly changed ‘S4P’ to ‘S4J’ and correctly updated original passerby quote, which was ‘f*** off’)
