Solidarity with Palestine - Student Encampment at Sheffield Universities

University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam

The image shows someone taking a picture at the Sheffield Solidarity Encampment. In the background is the University of Sheffield Students’ Union. There are many Palestinian flags, and a flag of South Africa.
https://www.instagram.com/nadas.captures

Students, staff, alumni, and people of Sheffield are welcome to show their support for Palestine and the SCCP encampment, by signing this petition.

The petition supports the open letter (below) addressed to the leaders of Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Sheffield, written by alumni.

If you would like to publicly add your name to the open letter please click here:

SCCP’s Social media and gofundme

To the Vice Chancellors of the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University,

We write to you as alumni to express our support of the current students of the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam who, on the 1st May 2024 began a mass encampment in solidarity with the Palestinian people, and due to the allegations of university complicity in Israeli apartheid and the ongoing bombardment of Gaza.

We feel it is important to celebrate Sheffield universities’ mottos “to discover the causes of things” and to “learn and serve”. The encampment and the students’ right to protest is a testament to these mottos.

The protests are led by the Sheffield Campus Coalition for Palestine (SCCP), a unity of staff, students, and alumni from both universities. [1]

We support their right to demand that the universities divest and end complicity in the genocide of the Palestinians in Gaza. In particular, the role played by the University of Sheffield's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) in manufacturing F-35 combat aircraft used by the Israeli military.

The university’s involvement in F-35 production is part of a pattern of close ties with the arms industry. In 2022, a freedom of information request (FOI) revealed that the University of Sheffield took at least £72 million in investment from the arms trade over the preceding decade. Last year openDemocracy reported that the University of Sheffield received more defense funding than any other institution, taking over £42m, while Oxford and Cambridge took £17m and £10m respectively.

We support the students’ right to protest against the influence exerted by these companies on the university’s research agenda and teaching.

Therefore, as alumni we will withhold all financial support to our alma maters until the demands of the Palestine Solidarity Encampment are met;

- the divestment from weapons manufacturing,

- Boycotting and severing all ties to israeli universities,

- and accepting accountability by formally meeting with students and staff.

We write this recognising that Israel has destroyed every University in Gaza. We ask the universities, as educators, to stand in solidarity with their peers in Gaza, by ending any complicity so that all may have the right to education.

Signed,

Abudullah Okud, President, 2018-19, Sheffield Hallam University

Alison Romain, Education Officer, 2022-23, University of Sheffield

Amy Masson, Women’s Officer, 2012-13, University of Sheffield

Charlie Porter, Education Officer, 2019-20, University of Sheffield

Christy McMorrow, President, 2015-16, University of Sheffield

Fiona Edwards, Women’s Officer, 2008-08, University of Sheffield

Freya Vanevery, Mature Students Officer, 2022-23. University of Sheffield

Minesh Parekh, Education Officer, 2015-16, University of Sheffield

Sara Moon, SU Development Officer, 2012-13, University of Sheffield

Shona Tulloch, Liberation Officer, 2021-22/Disabled Students Officer, 2022-23, University of Sheffield

[1] https://sheffield-coalition.co.uk/
[2] https://nowthenmagazine.com/articles/university-of-sheffields-participation-in-the-arms-trade-is-modern-colonialism
[3] https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/dark-money-investigations/universities-millions-defence-companies-israel-gaza/
Petition by
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Sheffield Campus Coalition for Palestine
Sheffield, United Kingdom

To: University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam
From: [Your Name]

To the Vice Chancellors of the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University,

We write to express our support of the current students of the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University who, on the 1st May 2024 began a mass encampment in solidarity with the Palestinian people, and due to the allegations of university complicity in Israeli apartheid and the ongoing bombardment of Gaza.

We feel it is important to celebrate Sheffield universities’ mottos “to discover the causes of things” and to “learn and serve”. The encampment and the students’ right to protest is a testament to these mottos.

The protests are led by the Sheffield Campus Coalition for Palestine (SCCP), a unity of staff, students, and alumni from both universities.

We support their right to demand that the universities divest and end complicity in the genocide of the Palestinians in Gaza. In particular, the role played by the University of Sheffield's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) in manufacturing F-35 combat aircraft used by the Israeli military.

The university’s involvement in F-35 production is part of a pattern of close ties with the arms industry. In 2022, a freedom of information request (FOI) revealed that the University of Sheffield took at least £72 million in investment from the arms trade over the preceding decade [2]. Last year openDemocracy reported that the University of Sheffield received more defense funding than any other institution, taking over £42m, while Oxford and Cambridge took £17m and £10m respectively.

We support the students’ right to protest against the influence exerted by these companies on the university’s research agenda and teaching.

Therefore, those of us who are alumni will withhold all financial support to our alma maters until the demands of the Palestine Solidarity Encampment are met;

- the divestment from weapons manufacturing,

- Boycotting and severing all ties to israeli universities,

- and accepting accountability by formally meeting with students and staff.

We write this recognising that Israel has destroyed every University in Gaza. We ask the universities, as educators, to stand in solidarity with their peers in Gaza, by ending any complicity so that all may have the right to education.