AN ONGOING protest in support of Palestine in the grounds of Trinity College Dublin (TCD) has forced the university to close several facilities, including the Book of Kells Experience.
The protest began on Friday evening, resulting in the university limiting access to the campus to staff and students only.
Around 70 protestors are involved in the demonstration, while images showed around 50 tents pitched on the grounds of the university.
Organised by the group Trinity BDS, which RTÉ reports is a subgroup of the Trinity College Dublin Students' Union (TCDSU), the protest has since garnered further support.
The encampment was set up on Friday night (Image: @TrinityBDS @tcdsu via RollingNews.ie)Outlining their demands on Twitter, Trinity BDS called for the university to sever all ties with Israel, condemn Israel's treatment of Palestine and commit to reparations by offering scholarships to Palestinian students.
Sharing an image of benches blocking an entrance to the building containing the Book of Kells, Students' Union President László Molnárfi suggested the protests would continue indefinitely.
"The Book of Kells is now closed indefinitely. No business as usual during a genocide. @tcddublin cut ties with the genocidal state of Israel!" he posted on Twitter.
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
In a statement on Friday, TCD said that while it supports students' right to protest, 'protests must be conducted within the rules of the university'.
"As custodians of the Book of Kells, Trinity has an obligation to protect this national treasure at all times," it added.
"The Old Library and Book of Kells Experience will be closed on Saturday, May 4. All ticket holders have been refunded."
'Trinity shares concerns'
In an updated statement on Saturday, it said the attraction, as well as several other facilities, would now be closed until further notice.
"Our duty of care to students and staff is paramount," it read.
"In order to ensure we can deliver on that duty of care for our students, we are ensuring that those protesting on campus are members of the college community so access to campus has been restricted to students and staff with valid college ID cards only.
"We have not made this decision lightly.
Access to the campus has been restricted to students and staff with valid college ID cards (Image: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie)"Regrettably, this will have a direct impact on our students and staff.
"Our libraries, Sports Centre, Book of Kells Experience, Old Library and the Pavilion Bar have been closed until further notice while sports fixtures, a concert and social events have been cancelled, postponed or moved to another venue.
"Trinity shares concerns about the ferocious onslaught in Gaza and the ongoing dire humanitarian crisis.
"We have taken a number of practical steps in response to the war in Gaza.
"These range from updating our investment portfolio with a view to excluding UN blacklist companies, to providing supports for students from Gaza coming to study in Trinity."
'Moral courage'
Several groups have expressed their support for the protestors, particularly in light of a €214,000 fine the university issued to the Students' Union this week over financial losses caused by previous protests.
The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) said it stood in solidarity with the Trinity students and condemned TCD over the fine.
"Protests that the college deem to be in line with their 'rules' would not work. That is not real protest," said Zaid Al-Barghouthi of the USI.
"Through the fine and ongoing threats of more fines or exclusions from the college, management is punishing students for caring about the university's complicity in genocide and about current and future students who cannot afford to pay high rents or more fees and are essentially being sent the message that third-level is not for them."
Students protest outside TCD in support of Palestine (Image:: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie)On Saturday, the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign held a march in support of the students, at which Mr Molnárfi told those gathered that 'academic institutions are deeply complicit in genocide'.
"From embers there has been a wildfire that has been ignited," he added.
"The momentum and the movement is tangible and palpable and those in power are absolutely terrified.
"They are terrified of us because apathy has been replaced by faith in collective action and the belief that we can create a better world; we can make a better world if we unite and come together as a collective."
Meanwhile, campaign group Academics for Palestine said they 'strongly support the actions taken by student activists in Trinity College Dublin'.
"In joining the Palestine solidarity encampments that have spread across university campuses in the United States, France, Australia, Britain, India, Tunisia, Japan and beyond, these students are showing a degree of moral courage and leadership that has been distinctly lacking among our university administrations," added a statement from the group.
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