By Lenny Osler, News Reporter and Natalie Payne, News Reporter
On January 23, around 20 demonstrators gathered opposite Senate House at midday as part of a national student walkout following the killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis, a few blocks from where George Floyd was killed.
The demonstration mirrors similar anti-administration protests in the US, such as the anti-Trump ‘Free America’ protests by students held earlier this week.
One student organiser told Epigram the walkout was ‘in solidarity with all the people of Minneapolis in America who are fighting back against the murder of Renée Good’.
Good who was shot three times by Jonathon Ross of ICE as she reversed her car close to him on January 7. There has been strong disagreement over the threat Renée posed to the officer.
The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) has said that Good used her car ‘as a weapon’ and tried to run over the officer, while Trump called her a ‘professional agitator’.
However, Jacob Frey, Mayor of Minneapolis, said these claims were ‘bullshit’, while Governor Tim Walz expressed his anger and said in a statement ‘don't believe this propaganda machine’
Jack, from the Socialist Worker Student Society (SWSS), told Epigram the protest was ‘trying to reach every single university student who would call themselves anti-racist and anti-fascist,’ and called for ‘a united front on campus.’
In his initial speech to the demonstrators, he warned of a 'barbaric descent towards fascism' in the US and in the UK.
The demonstration also highlighted issues such as the war in Gaza and the rise of support for the far-right. Chants from the crowd included ‘Refugees are welcome here’, while protesters held signs reading ‘Feminists for a Free Palestine’ and ‘Bristol Students Against Fascism.’
The group consisted of members from the SU-affiliated Intersectional Feminist Society (iFemSoc), Art Society, LGBTQ+ Society, Bristol Young Greens, and Student Action for Refugees (STAR). Supporting groups not affiliated with the SU included the SWSS, the Communist Party of Ireland, Bristol Leftist Collective, Stand Up to Racism, and the trade union UNISON.
At least three campus security officers were present to check U-cards upon entrance to Senate House.
According to Socialist Worker, around 75 students at the University of Edinburgh and 50 at the University of Glasgow were also involved in the walk out.
Epigram spoke to a SWSS member who asked to remain anonymous. They called on the University and the Student Union to ‘join’ and ‘mobilise’ alongside their campaign.
The SWSS member was concerned that ‘immigrants in the UK are at risk of a very similar thing happening’, and criticised a new official Home Office TikTok page, known as ‘Secure Borders UK,’, which features videos of immigration enforcement officers raiding homes and arresting people believed to be in the UK illegally.
According to The Independent, the TikTok account faced criticism from charity Freedom from Torture as ‘dehumanising’ and intended to ‘distract and divide us’.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson defended the account, arguing it would show ‘people-smugglers’ that they will ‘face detention and deportation.’
Annie, a student organiser representing Women Against the Far Right (a campaign by Stand Up to Racism), announced: ‘We’re here to shut down the lies of the far right, who are scapegoating refugees and migrants.’
Lenny Osler
Epigram spoke to a group of students supporting the protest. One claimed the protest was also ‘for Palestine’, saying ‘the UK has been very complicit in the Gaza genocide.’
A student next to her addressed the University: ‘Stop funding the genocide. Be more active in supporting students who are trying to make a change rather than trying to silence people.’
Josh McClounnan
By 12:45 PM, the demonstration had largely dispersed.
Protest organisers also referenced a larger demonstration against the far-right, which is due to take place on Saturday February 14 on College Green.A
A University of Bristol spokesperson said:
‘We support the right to freedom of expression and to engage in lawful, peaceful protest and understand the deeply held concerns that many in our community feel about the situation in Israel and Gaza.
‘The University’s association with a wide variety of organisations helps drive innovative research and improves our students’ future careers. All our partnerships undergo stringent diligence checks and ethical reviews.’
Featured image: Epigram / Lenny Osler
