students camp at Trinity College against the war in Gaza

Students from Dublin’s prestigious Trinity College university set up camp on the institution’s campus to protest the Israeli military offensive in Gaza, blocking the entrance to a building that usually attracts many tourists on Saturday. The demonstrators described their mobilization as a “camp in solidarity with Palestine”against the backdrop of the multiplication of these mobilizations in Europe and the United States.

Several dozen of them set up tents Friday evening in several places on campus, placing benches in front of the library which contains “The Book of Kells”a famous medieval manuscript that many tourists come to see in the Irish capital.

The president of the university’s TCDSU student union, Laszlo Molnarfi, told RTE that protesters are demanding the university cut ties with Israel. “An unauthorized BDS (movement that calls for a boycott of Israel) encampment is present in Trinity”indicated the establishment in a press release. “To ensure security, access to the campus will be restricted to students, staff, residents and members of the sports department,” he added, warning that visitor access would be prohibited this Saturday.” “While Trinity supports students’ right to protest, protests must be held within university rules”the establishment further indicated.

Very strong opposition to the war in Gaza

Starting from American campuses, where they were the subject of repression by the police, mobilizations against the Israeli offensive in Gaza have spread all over the world in recent days. Opposition to Israel’s military intervention in Gaza is very strong in Ireland, where marches calling for a ceasefire have brought thousands of people into the streets.

The government itself has been very critical of the attitude of the Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu since the start of the conflict, triggered after the bloody Hamas attack in Israel on October 7. The new Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris said he was ready in mid-April to recognize a Palestinian state, seeing it as a way to contribute to the peace process in the Middle East.

In February, the Irish government asked the European Commission, alongside Spain, to verify whether Israel was respecting human rights in Gaza. More than 400 Irish artists have called in a joint letter to boycott the international Eurovision song contest over Israel’s participation.