Will Trinity College’s statement end camp protest?

Shortly after 6pm yesterday evening Trinity College issued a statement.

It welcomed reports of a Gaza ceasefire, condemned “the onslaught on Gaza”, said it supported the International Court of Justice’s finding on genocide, announced the establish of a task force to consider links to Israeli universities and other institutions, and said it would align with the Government’s decision to divest from investments in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

The question was, would this be enough to end the encampment that began on Friday evening, when students led by TCD Students’ Union President László Molnárfi, bedded down in Fellows Square and blocked access to the college’s Book of Kells exhibition?

The Trinity statement represented a clear shift, and its language was conciliatory.

In sharp contrast to the heavy-handed response that followed similar encampments in the US, the college said it respected “the strong stance expressed by those participating in the encampment and the right to peaceful protest in accordance with College rules”.

“In view of the disproportionate response we have seen at some institutions overseas” the college said, “Trinity is committed to addressing the issue of the encampment as an internal process”.

So there would be no calling in of the gardaí or legal moves to break up the encampment, or at least that is how student leaders interpreted these lines.

But was all this going to be enough?

TCD’s student newspaper Trinity News reported that students at the encampment were reacting “joyously” to the university’s statement.

But at 8.30pm students at the encampment issued their verdict.

While they appreciated and welcomed steps being taken by the university “we note that there are more Israeli companies in the endowment fund as well as suppliers”.

They also raised the fact that the college facilitates student exchanges with Israeli institutions. They want the college to revisit all of this.

“We are committed to continuing our peaceful encampment until all of our demands are met in full”, their statement read. Acknowledging a “partial victory” they said they also wanted an amnesty for students who had to date been involved in protest on campus, and the rescinding of the €214,000 bill the college imposed on its Students’ Union last week.

“We cannot stop yet” the statement from the encampment read. “This is the time to push Trinity College Dublin to divest from all Israeli companies in the endowment fund as well as suppliers and exchanges”.

So, the encampment at the country’s highest ranked university looks set to continue for the moment.

It has created a huge problem for Trinity College. Like other universities across the country TCD has long complained of being starved of core state funding. More than half of its income is derived from other sources, and the Book of Kells Exhibition – one of the country’s top tourist attractions – is a significant earner.

In 2019, before the pandemic disrupted the flow of tourists, income from the attraction brought in €17 million. That’s almost 4% of Trinity’s total annual revenue.

May is traditionally the time when undergraduates vacate Trinity’s stunning city centre campus and are replaced by hordes of tourists. These coming months are when the Book of Kells comes into its own, bringing in much needed revenue for the college.

But on Friday Trinity was forced to announce the closure of the attraction, because of the actions of its students.

Trinity will also be mindful of its international reputation. Its global ties include attracting significant numbers of students from all over the world. International students make up an estimated 10% of its student body and those students pay big money to study there.

Its Provost Linda Doyle will know she has to tread very carefully indeed.

On Sunday some of the ordinary students who are taking part in the encampment spoke on the phone to RTE News. None of the students wanted to be named. They were fearful of possible repercussions, from the college or for their futures in terms of finding work or travelling.

“Palestine has always been near and dear to my heart”, a First Year Arts student from Northern Ireland told RTE News. “As soon as I saw the BDS (the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions group) stand during Freshers week I wanted to join. For me and any other Northern Irish students it has to do with what we have faced [in Northern Ireland].

The students described to RTE the sense of empowerment that has grown in them since Friday evening.

“It’s been super good. The mood honestly is a lot of joy and hope”, this Northern Irish student said.

She recounted phone conversations she had with her mother and her grandfather on Sunday morning. “They are all proud of me and of all of us”, she said.

It is noteworthy that a significant proportion of those involved in the encampment are international students. One student estimated that about 40% of those participating are foreign.

Kay is one of them. She is American. She joined the encampment early on Saturday morning.

“Seeing the length the universities have gone to in the states, regarding suspensions and expelling students, I was saying to myself for the past week ‘I wish Trinity would do something like the American encampments’. As soon as she heard of the action on Friday night she told RTE News, “I immediately packed my bags”.

Again there is that sense of empowerment. “I feel great. Today has been such an empowering day and I’m feeling a little emotional. It is definitely an overwhelming feeling of solidarity and empathy. This conflict is obviously affecting Palestine, but it is touching people across the globe too”.

“It’s a basic human rights and ethics issue” an Irish third year law student told RTÉ News when asked why she decided to become involved, “The support for Israel and the unbalanced media coverage has really enraged me”.

Some of these students say they will stay in the encampment for as long as it takes, others would like to but say they can’t. This law student is starting a job placement next week.

Another international participant is a PhD researcher. Slightly older than the students, she says she is staying on the fringes. “It is a very chilled and caring environment and I see my role to be here to help out and show solidarity”.

When asked why she had become involved, she said “its obvious. There is a genocide that is being committed”.

This young woman told RTE News that she is from a Jewish family background. She said she wanted to make the point that the action being taken was in no way antisemitic.

The bank holiday weekend is now over. But the tents remain on Fellows Square, and resolve seems strong.

The action is being led by current Students’ Union President László Molnárfi.

It has the full backing too of incoming SU President Jenny Maguire. Last night she told RTÉ News; “It’s a phenomenal display of student power, it’s fantastic and I hope it continues and that it spreads to other colleges”.

This is the last thing that other universities want, but it is a distinct possibility. Student Unions at other universities, such as UCD and UCC, have also been vocal in calls for their university leaders to follow the example of University of Galway and express support for a ceasefire in Gaza and a commitment to reviewing ties with universities and other institutions in Israel.

Those other colleges are watching events in Dublin city centre closely, and so are their student bodies.

Negotiations between Trinity College and the Student Union leaders of this encampment resume at 5pm today. So much hinges on the outcome of those talks, and not just for Trinity College and its students.