By Nyx Osborne Sandford, News Subeditor
Channon ‘Chan’ Lawrence, a third-year Biochemistry student due to graduate later this year, joined veteran activists on the Kate as it set off this morning on a 4000-odd nautical mile voyage to Gaza.
The Kate is part of the FFC (Freedom Flotilla Coalition)'s second flotilla mission of 2026 – the first having been hijacked by the IDF in international waters in May of this year.
Alongside Chan is Iris Haynei, head of FFC UK, Raid, ambassador for the Samir Foundation, and other activists from Bristol and across the UK.
An event was held on August 16 to fundraise for the trip, which included a charity concert.
Several crew members gave speeches at the event, alongside other activists including Dr Swee Ang, founder of MAP (Medical Aid for Palestinians), and Dr David Miller, former University of Bristol professor who was wrongfully dismissed from the University of Bristol in 2021 over his anti-Zionist views.
Chan’s decision to join the flotilla stemmed from her personal connection to the Kate, though she has been involved in pro-Palestinian activism for almost a decade.
‘I lived on [the Kate] before the Freedom Flotilla bought it, which is how I, personally, got involved, because I was there for the handover process and met a lot of the people [going on the mission]. I offered my help because it is probably the most important cause in the world right now.’
Discussing her decision to join the mission, Chan stressed the need to ‘get the public’s focus back on Palestine’:
‘The world is ignoring a live genocide’, she said, adding: ‘We shouldn’t be allowed to forget [about Gaza].’
Chan also said it was ‘disgusting’ that the University of Bristol ‘has ties to companies involved with this genocide.’
The University has the second highest-valued arms industry partnerships of any UK university, and holds direct links to 116 arms companies.
It is also a founding member of the DUA (Defence Universities Alliance). In July, it claimed the DUA would create ‘student career pathways’ in the defence industry, despite sustained pressure from students and staff to demilitarise.
‘Most University of Bristol students completely disagree with this. A lot of them would be disgusted to find out the money they’re paying for their degrees is indirectly going towards arms companies which are killing children.
‘We are providing weapons being used to commit war crimes. Encouraging recruitment into these industries is terrible. I feel ashamed of my university, and I think that’s how most students feel.’
Before departing, Chan encouraged current and incoming students to get involved in Bristol’s ‘big pro-Palestine network’, mentioning the Bristol Palestine Museum and Bristol Apartheid-Free Zone.
Chan plans to disembark the Kate before the end of its 2-3 month journey to avoid potential torture and sexual assault – as experienced by the previous FFC mission in May at the hands of the IDF (Israel Defence Forces).
Featured Image: Epigram / Nyx Osborne Sandford
