Sheffield Palestine camp: Court grants 'eviction notice' against protestors bringing encampment to an end

The courts granted the possession order submitted by the university, after adjourning the case on July 15, 2024, in order for the judge to consider “any opposing legal position”.

A spokesperson for the University of Sheffield said: “The camp has been outside of our Students’ Union building since 1 May and is raising a number of health and safety concerns, as well as causing ongoing disruption to university activities and our community. As a result, we sought to obtain a possession order. This has been granted today and requires the protestors to draw the camp to a close.”

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Members of the Sheffield Campus Coalition for Palestine (SCCP) have repeatedly denied any suggestion they are causing health and safety concerns.

The Star has asked the SCCP for a statement on the verdict.

The protest encampment made a number of demands to Sheffield University, calling for it to end its relationships with companies involved in the arms industry and in solidarity with the people of Palestine as the war in Gaza continues.

It is reported that more than 39,000 Palestinians have been killed to date in Israeli attacks on Gaza, following the attacks by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which killed over 1,000 Israelis.

Since it was announced Sheffield University had filed for a possession order to end the encampment, the educator has stated it had sought to “balance the right to protest and our responsibilities to maintain the safety and welfare of our University community”.

They also added that despite the camp not having “permission” to be in place, the University had “allowed the camp to remain in the interests of freedom of speech”.