The Mancunion has seen documents which raise welfare concerns for students participating in the Manchester Camp of Resistance in light of experiences of sexism and racism.
These documents also suggest that a ‘homeless group’ camped within the student protest.
Coinciding with The Mancunion’s reporting is a report from the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) into the 36 encampments set up in support of Palestine across UK universities last year. The HEPI report investigates both the encampments and universities’ responses to them.
The Manchester Camp of Resistance called for the University to cut ties with Israeli universities and companies including BAE Systems, which manufactures parts for fighter jets used by the Israeli military.
Last semester, QR codes were put up across campus with links to a drive of documents containing internal communications from the Manchester Camp of Resistance. These documents were sent directly to The Mancunion by an anonymous source.
Soon after these documents were received by The Mancunion, online access was removed.
The Manchester Camp of Resistance was set up by students on 1 May 2024. Seen by The Mancunion, the MCR4Palestine Rolling Agenda details a month’s worth of meeting agendas and notes from inside the encampment.
On 14 May, the rolling agenda reads: ‘It has been disclosed that there have been some harmful behaviours, possibly rooted in unconscious biases. They raised the specific examples of racism and Islamophobia.’
On 19 May, issues of ‘sexism around food’ were raised. The agenda reads: ‘Food has become the sole responsibility of women and gender minorities.
‘If men could call out other men on their behaviour and encourage them to clean, that would be greatly appreciated.’
The Mancunion has seen a letter from YFFP to the encampment which addressed these concerns.
‘Thankfully, we are aware that specific issues are being actively dealt with and processes are improving and we display particular appreciation of the welfare working group. People have shown a genuine commitment to starting to tackle many of the issues raised.’
A spokesperson for YFFP said: “A conversation we had at a general meeting of the camp was about a responsibility to actively combat all forms of bigotry and/or discrimination that may arise due to the colonial, capitalist society in which we live.
“Combating oppression is an ongoing task in all spaces—the choice is whether to sweep it under the rug (as our university does) or actively combat it (as the camp aspired to do as a collective space and YFFP facilitated).”
The HEPI report also found that ‘externals’ participating in encampments caused concerns for universities in managing encampments. Evidence seen by The Mancunion from the rolling agenda corroborates these claims.
The rolling agenda includes references to ‘homeless campers’ and calls for members of the encampment to be respectful and treat external participants in a ‘comradely manner’.
The University had raised concerns about the safety and wellbeing of students involved in the encampment from the outset.
Documents seen by The Mancunion also raise questions regarding the transparency of fundraising efforts. On 19 May, a note in the rolling agenda reads: ‘Legal side – Go Fund Me funds may not be completely in line with what the fundraiser was set out as.’
Many of the pages used to raise funds for the encampment are no longer accessible. However, a page initially set up to raise funds for the legal fees of a student can still be accessed. This page appears to have been later updated to show that money donated would be used towards supporting the camp and other pro-Palestine activist organisations.
A spokesperson for YFFP said: “The fundraiser was set up to support the legal fees of a student who was unfairly suspended by the university for supporting Palestine. At the time that the fundraiser was set up, the exact amount needed for these legal fees was unknown.
“For this reason, it was made clear from the outset, in the third paragraph of the fundraiser, that if more money is raised than is needed, then ‘it can be used to mount direct legal challenges against the university or will be donated to pro Palestine activist groups’.
“In total, £2400 was used for legal fees to support the suspended student, resulting in the university finally allowing them to graduate. The other £800 was put towards the running of the encampment.”
The full statement from YFFP can be read here:
“Firstly, we want to mention for the writers of the article that the Rolling Agenda existed to increase the accessibility of the camp general meetings where any relevant issues pertaining to the day to day running of the camp were discussed at length. The documents to which you refer are internal documents that existed to be understood and engaged with by those who were part of the encampment; therefore, they understood what was being referred to. An agenda written in note form will never give a clear insight into the workings of a month-long encampment of hundreds of people.
“A conversation we had at a general meeting of the camp was about a responsibility to actively combat all forms of bigotry and/or discrimination that may arise due to the colonial, capitalist society in which we live. Combating oppression is an ongoing task in all spaces—the choice is whether to sweep it under the rug (as our university does) or actively combat it (as the camp aspired to do as a collective space and YFFP facilitated). This included access to adequate prayer space for all faiths, in the context of the university not having enough of these spaces and forcing students to pray in open stairwells. It also included consideration of gendered forms of labour and how to overcome these.
“Part of combating oppression in the encampment was acknowledging that this university actively marginalises and has historically displaced wider communities in the area. The encampment reclaimed the marketised-militarised space of the university and unashamedly welcomed all those in support of Palestinian liberation. Students alone will never achieve liberation.
“The fundraiser was set up to support the legal fees of a student who was unfairly suspended by the university for supporting Palestine. At the time that the fundraiser was set up, the exact amount needed for these legal fees was unknown. For this reason, it was made clear from the outset, in the third paragraph of the fundraiser, that if more money is raised than is needed, then “it can be used to mount direct legal challenges against the university or will be donated to pro Palestine activist groups.” In total, £2400 was used for legal fees to support the suspended student, resulting in the university finally allowing them to graduate. The other £800 was put towards the running of the encampment.
“Quote from student protestor, Sara, about the encampment, “We remain extremely proud of the camp and all those who contributed to its existence. I, and many others who were mobilised at the encampment, continue to fight our university’s complicity in Israel’s crimes. Our university remains partnered with Tel Aviv University, an integral part of Israel’s war machine, training active duty soldiers and providing the Israeli military vital research. We will continue taking action until this complicity ends.”
Manchester Leftist Action were also contacted for a response.
A spokesperson for the University of Manchester said: “While we respect the right to peaceful protest within the law it is also essential that people treat each other respectfully. Safety and respect for others on campus is always our priority.”
