Oxford Action for Palestine set up a second encampment of ten tents on the lawn of Oxford University’s iconic Radcliffe Camera library in the early morning of 19 May. Calling it “Liberated Zone #2.” The campers “will not leave until the negotiation process begins,” according to a statement.
OA4P’s statement furthers: “We reaffirmed our commitment to begin negotiations, and once again, the University made no efforts to come to the table and meet with us. We are escalating accordingly.
“There can be no business as usual while enabling a genocide. The University must not be allowed to forget this, and, to that end, we will continue to disrupt its functioning until our demands are met.”
The negotiations team have sent its preconditions to the Vice-Chancellor this morning via email.
A camper told Cherwell: “We know we make ourselves vulnerable by doing this, but that’s what’s so important: We’re just some students in some tents, here to protest against genocide. If people want to attack us because of that, then we’re not going to respond with violence.
“We said we’re willing to take [the encampment] down when [the University] is willing to talk. If we’re in danger, whose hands is that in at the end of the day?”
Another camper emphasised the group’s commitment to de-escalation.
The first encampment was set up on 6 May in front of the Natural History museum. Rad Cam’s encampment follows the previous day’s escalation when dozens of protesters staged a “die-in” at graduation: They lay on the ground, with red handprints on white shirts, and blocked all exits from Sheldonian theatre where a graduation ceremony was taking place.
Cherwell has contacted the University for comments.
