Palestine societies at universities UK-wide using 7 October as ‘resistance’ event day

Anti-Israel student groups on university campuses across the UK are marking the second anniversary of the 7 October Hamas atrocities with ‘resistance’ events including rallies, bake sales and bookshop talks, Jewish News can report.

In conjunction with the Union of Jewish Students, JN can reveal that universities including Liverpool, Bristol, Strathclyde and Leeds are holding events on 7 October – which saw Hamas massacre more than 1,200 men, women and children and take more than 250 captives into Gaza – with events on campus, claiming that the day marks “two years of genocide”.

At Sheffield University, the Sheffield Revolutionary Communist Society are holding a rally for Palestine on campus.

In a video, they implicitly refer to UJS as ‘Zionist Lobbyists’ in the caption, saying: “After the horrific attack in a synagogue, they are using this, weaponising this, to equate antisemitism with pro-Palestine views and this is obviously completely false”.

Additionally, they cited printing costs and logistics as a reason why they could not move the date.

A university spokesperson told Jewish News: “The rally being hosted by the student society tomorrow has not been approved by our Students’ Union, nor the University.

“Student society events require prior Students’ Union approval, which was not granted after the group was formally asked to move the date. Should the rally go ahead, the Students’ Union will review the circumstances in line with usual processes.”

Strathclyde’s Palestine Solidarity Society is holding a protest for Palestine at Rottenrow Gardens, which forms part of the University of Strathclyde campus, calling on Strathclyders to “grab your flag and your keffiyah”.

Queen Mary University of London’s Action for Palestine are holding a rally entitled “Two Years of Genocide, Two Years of Resistance”, at Library Square, part of the university’s campus. Edinburgh University’s Justice for Palestine Society are holding a rally for Palestine in the main library on campus.

When approached for comment, a Queen Mary University of London spokesperson told Jewish News: “We do not tolerate antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism, abuse, incitement or harassment of any kind, and have robust procedures in place to deal with any such complaints, including reporting to the police. As a university, we must work within the law and have a duty to uphold lawful freedom of speech.

“Since the beginning of the current crisis in the Middle East, we have consistently urged respect for each other’s different beliefs and points of view, and to support each other with compassion and empathy. The majority of our community of 38,000 student and staff continue to do just that.”

Leeds University’s Socialist Worker Student Society is hosting an evening entitled “2 years of Genocide & Resistance: How can Palestine be free?” at self-described “independent queer bookshop”, The Bookish Type, in the city centre.

Leeds University Union is additionally hosting a ‘Celebrate Palestinian Culture” Day” a week later.

Bristol Socialist Worker Student Society are holding a rally titled “end the genocide” at the Wills Memorial, which is outside the largest library on Bristol University’s campus.

Their Instagram publicised event on Wednesday 8 October is accompanied by the soundtrack of Anarki-Sins chanting ‘Death to the IDF’.

The Students’ Union for University of Liverpool is hosting a bake sale for Palestine on the second anniversary of the 7 October Hamas atrocities.

A poster promoting the ‘Palestine Bake Sale’ says “Time for Dessert” will be held on Tuesday 7 October 2025, at the Liverpool Guild and is hosted by @LivGlobalRelief, a Liverpool University charity society which aims to “raise awareness about humanitarian issues around the world” together with @uolbakesoc, the university’s baking society.

Goldsmiths College’s “Goldsmiths for Palestine”, which has publicly supported the de-proscription of Hamas as a terrorist organisation, is organising an off-campus “night of remembrance and resistance” event together with the Peckham-based “Feminist Library”, which will feature a film screening followed by a “conversation after”.

A spokesperson for Goldsmiths confirmed that it had been contacted by members of the public regarding this event.

“We would like to make clear that these groups are not formally affiliated with the University and that the event is not taking place on our premises”, the college said.

“For clarity, this is an independent event being held away from our campus by two organisations which have no formal connection to the University.”

Louis Danker, UJS president, told Jewish News: “”We respect the right to protest and the importance of free speech within the law. There are 365 days in the year and on one of them – October 7th – Jewish students seek the space to mourn their loved ones murdered in southern Israel.

“Moreover, marking ‘two years of resistance’ on October 7th echoes the explicit justification and glorification of the Hamas terrorist attacks on campus witnessed over the last two years. No Jewish student should have to stand by as others glorify a day that marks such loss for our community. We have written to Vice Chancellors and university leaders to remind them of their obligation to stand against the glorification of terror.”

Jewish News has contacted the Universities of Leeds, Bristol, Edinburgh and King’s College London for comment.

On Monday, Universities UK published a statement by its chief executive, Vivienne Stern MBE, Chief Executive of Universities UK, saying that “there has been a deeply concerning rise in antisemitic incidents in the last two years.

“Universities UK has worked closely with university leaders to tackle this. Last week, in response to the attack on the Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester, I wrote to university leaders to remind them to maintain close contact with Jewish student groups, to publicise mechanisms for reporting antisemitic incidents, and to review security arrangements.

“We believe this is especially important with the potential for campus demonstrations timed to coincide with the 7 October massacre. We have signposted resources to help universities combat antisemitism both from Universities UK and from the Community Security Trust and the Union of Jewish Students.

“While universities must be places where contentious views can be expressed, and while universities have a legal duty to uphold free speech, we urge students and staff participating in protests to remember that the 7th October is the anniversary of an atrocious attack on innocent people, and that expressing support for a terrorist organisation is a criminal offence.”