The Book of Kells is closed to the public today as students continue to protest over Gaza at Trinity College Dublin.
They have set up an encampment on campus to pressure the university to cut ties with Israel over its actions in Gaza. Organisers say 70 students in 43 tents took part.
The students union has been fined €214,285 by university management for its protests - which included blocking access to the Book of Kells.
In a post on X, outgoing students’ union president László Molnárfi said: “Students at Trinity College Dublin have set up an encampment for Palestine, demanding that their university cut ties with Israel as per BDS [Boycott, Divest, Sanction] principles supported by the vast majority of students and staff.”
He also posted a picture of benches stacked up to block the Old Library, where the Book of Kells is housed.
The Book of Kells is now closed indefinetly. No business as usual during a genocide. @tcddublin cut ties with the genocidal state of Israel! pic.twitter.com/LZ31xcvtYt
— László Molnárfi (SU) (@TCDSU_President) May 3, 2024
“We plan on staying here indefinitely, our message is there is no business as usual during a genocide,” he told the PA news agency.
“And when our academic institution, Trinity College Dublin, has ties to Israeli companies, entities and universities that are complicit in the war industry, we must speak up.
“And that is why we are doing this. And we must speak up in this disruptive, powerful way. Because when we tried to engage with the authorities, with petitions and letters and meetings, we were met with shameful silence.”
In a statement, Trinity said a “student TCD BDS encampment is in place in Trinity. Trinity supports students’ right to protest within the rules of the university and is monitoring the situation closely.
“Access to campus is restricted to students, staff & residents with college ID. We will keep you updated.”
Academics for Palestine said the group is appalled by recent moves by Trinity College to target student leaders and punish the Students’ Union.
It says it fully supports the "courageous student organisations" leading the Gaza encampment and shares their goal of pushing Trinity to cut ties with Israel due to its ongoing genocide in Gaza.
The encampment at Trinity mirrors universities across the United States where students are looking to pressure academic institutions into cutting ties with Israel.
Some of the US protests have led to clashes with authorities.
By James Cox
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