Anti-police protest at Queen's University Belfast freshers' event: 'PSNI off our campus', chant pro-Palestine activists
Pro-Palestine campaigners blocked a police stall at Queen’s University Belfast freshers’ fair today, shouting for the PSNI to get “off our campus”.
Holding a Palestine flag between them, one of the apparently student-age protesters bore a placard bearing the slogan “RUC beat students on campus” – the RUC being the old police force of Northern Ireland, which ceased to exist 24 years ago.
The protest, which happened at around 1.45pm this afternoon, blockaded a stall the PSNI had taken at the freshers’ fair in the students’ union of the university.
The force recently launched a safety campaign in co-operation with university officials, which is aimed at encouraging safe and respectful behaviour as students from all over the globe arrive in Belfast to start their campus journey.
Amid chants of “free Palestine”, today’s protesters also shouted “QUB, PSNI, you’re supporting genocide” and “PSNI, off our campus”.
One member also held a board painted with the words “collusion is no illusion” – a slogan often seen in Irish republican circles.
In photos and video clips of the incident seen by the News Letter, several newly arrived students can be seen standing filming the protesters, while a couple of police officers look on.
A PSNI spokesman described the demonstration that blockaded their stall in the students union as “a small protest in the University Road area of south Belfast”.
“The protest passed off without incident,” added the spokesman.
A spokeswoman for Queen’s University referred to the incident as “a small protest at fresher’s fair”.
Added the spokeswoman: “Student safety is of the highest priority, with the PSNI invited annually to fresher’s fair to provide safety and security advice. Their presence, alongside Queen’s security, reflects the university’s ongoing commitment to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all students.
“Queen’s is committed to freedom of expression, the right to hold a range of views, and the promotion and protection of the right to peaceful protest.”
Last November saw several arrests at the campus when pro-Palestine activists protested a visit from Hillary Clinton.