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Hilary Term, Week 3 | Friday 2 February 2024
OXFORD STUDENT The
The University of Oxford’s Student Newspaper, Est. 1991
Activists protest Barclays “banking on Israel’s apartheid”
Gaspard Rouffin
A
protest that took place in front of the Barclays branch on Cornmarket Street last week led to the arrest of a counterprotester, following an alter-
cation with a demonstrator. The demonstration was organised by the Oxford Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), which calls for an end of “banking on Israel’s apartheid”. The
organisation has arranged previous protests in solidarity of Palestine in Cowley and London, and had already previously blocked the entrance of the same Barclays branch in Oxford.
Oxford Union debates Cambridge over money and happiness Valida Pau
O Image Credit: NATO
n 27th January, the Oxford Union hosted a varsity debate with the Cambridge Union, with a motion titled “Money Can Buy You Happiness.” Oxford spoke for the proposition, while Cambridge spoke for the opposition. Louis Wilson, the current Librarian-Elect, opened the debate for the proposition with a series of snarky comments towards the Cambridge
Union. He began with a poke at the hefty price of the Cambridge Union membership, arguing that “unless you have the money to afford it, you cannot indulge in the happiness they provide” (n.b. the Cambridge life student membership is £230, while the equivalent at Oxford costs £314.95). Wilson then joked that money can buy you friendships and connections and that without cash, love can fade, Read more on page 5
trying to intimidate her, before going back to argue with them. The woman then physically attacked a protester, who hit her in return. Both were escorted to police cars soon after. Another protester commented “I’ve been protesting 15 years and I’ve never seen anyone assault one of ours before”. While two police officers were initially present at the scene of the protest, this incident brought their numbers to over ten. Police officers had earlier confronted a 15 year old protester who was putting proPalestine stickers on the windows of the Barclays branch. Protesters were holding signs in English and Arabic, reading the names, occupation, and age (ranging from <1 to 91) of civilians killed in Gaza. Other signs stated “Bibi [Benjamin Netanyahu] Bombs Babies, Boycott Israel” as well as “Ceasefire as in dismantling the settler colonial project, not Ceasefire as in returning to the same old violence”. The protest was carried out with the sounds of drums and chants in Arabic.
Read more on page 4
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[I have] recently written to all test centres to communicate our decision to end our relationship with Tata Consultancy Services
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Image Credit: Cameron Samuel Keys
The protest started at roughly 10:30am with around a dozen supporters, and lasted until 12:30pm, when the number of people on site was more than 35. This was significantly less than the previous demonstration, which gathered close to one hundred participants. Protesters were chanting phrases such as “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” and “occupation no more, Israel is a terror state”. This was alongside specific criticisms of the bank, including “Barclays Barclays you can’t hide, you’re committing genocide”, “Barclays blood on your hands”, and “Barclays Barclays, shame shame, all the crimes in your name.” Chants that have previously attracted criticism could also be heard, including “Gaza broke the prison door” in relation to the October 7th attacks and “there is only one solution, intifada revolution”. Around 11:30, a pro-Israel passerby called out the demonstrators, which quickly evolved into a heated argument. The woman initially complained to police officers present on the scenes that demonstrators were
- Professor Martin Williams, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education