Edinburgh University Students Say They Felt Intimidated by Police Over Palestine Posters
Students at the University of Edinburgh reported feeling intimidated after police visited the campus to question them about pro-Palestine posters and a campaign urging people to sign a complaint letter.
According to those interviewed, police officers directly approached students at their desks, asking for names, contact information, and details of anyone they believed might have been involved in putting up the posters. The officers conducted this questioning without any university staff present.
“We were shocked that police were allowed to wander freely through the building and question students without warning.”
The police action followed allegations that one of the posters included an image of a Hamas member. The university had been notified about the visit, but students said they received no prior notice.
After the incident, seventy-eight PhD students from the School of Social and Political Sciences submitted a formal letter of complaint to the school’s head, John Devaney, expressing their concern over the handling of the situation.
The university responded by acknowledging that students might have been “taken aback,” while adding that it would continue to cooperate with police inquiries when required.
Wider Context of Complaints
This latest letter adds to an ongoing series of complaints connected to the university’s handling of Palestine-related matters on campus, reflecting tensions between academic freedom and external investigations.
Author’s Summary
Police questioning of Edinburgh University students over Palestine posters caused unease and prompted formal complaints, deepening ongoing concerns about freedom on campus.