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Universities win court order on Gaza protest camps

BBC Pro-Palestinian encampment BBC
Pro-Palestinian demonstrations have been taking place at Birmingham University, as well as campuses across the country

Two universities have won court orders enabling them to regain control of campus land where pro-Palestinian protests by students have been taking place for several weeks.

The universities of Nottingham and Birmingham had taken separate legal actions, in order to the end the occupation of areas where tents had been set up since May.

On Tuesday, the High Court granted summary possession orders, which decided the cases in the universities' favour without a full trial.

Mr Justice Johnson concluded the protesting students had been trespassing, and said there were "many other ways" activists could exercise their right to protest.

The orders cover the University of Nottingham's Jubilee Campus, where there were up to15 tents, close to the Advanced Manufacturing Building.

They also cover the University of Birmingham's "Green Heart" outdoor area on its Edgbaston campus, where there were more than 80 tents last month, as well as its Exchange building in the city centre and the Selly Oak campus.

Salman Mizra Mariyah AliSalman Mizra
A lawyer for Mariyah Ali, the only named defendant in the Birmingham case, said she was "disheartened" by the ruling

During hearings in London last week, the judge was told that the camps were part of nationwide protests at British universities.

The protesters alleged universities are "complicit" in the loss of life in Palestine and should “divest” from links to arms firms.

The two universities had taken legal action against two named activists and "persons unknown", as they have been unable to identify many protesters.

Appeal considered

Mariyah Ali, 20, from Walsall, was the only named defendant in the Birmingham case.

Ms Ali was “disheartened by this judgment, but remains committed to her cause", said Oliver Edwards, her solicitor said.

He added Ms Ali was considering appealing against the ruling.

Former student River Butterworth, 24, from Warwickshire, had been the sole-named protester in the Nottingham legal challenge.

Referring to why a full trial should not be heard in the case, Mr Justice Johnson concluded protesters had had "no real prospect" of showing the universities had breached their duties, or that an order would infringe their human rights.

The London School of Economics won a separate court order in May that barred encampments in one of its buildings, where students had slept for more than a month in support of Palestinians in Gaza.

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