Colin Bailey, President and Principal of Queen Mary University of London, confronted pro-Palestinian student protesters who demanded a meeting while occupying the campus. The students, part of QMUL Students for Palestine, had set up a tent encampment on university grounds in solidarity with Palestine. In a video shared online, Bailey told the students he would not engage in discussions until the camp was dismantled and they removed their face masks, citing safety concerns.
The protest is part of a broader wave of similar demonstrations occurring at universities across the UK. The students, wearing face masks, claimed they felt unsafe on campus without them. Bailey, who has been in his post since 2017, declined their demands, indicating he would only meet them under the stipulated conditions.
Reform UK leader Ben Habib praised Bailey's response, calling it a display of common sense. This incident is part of ongoing campus protests in the UK, with students at institutions like the London School of Economics (LSE) and the University of Birmingham setting up similar encampments. LSE students have demanded the university address its investments linked to the Gaza conflict, arms trade, and fossil fuels.
Despite threats of legal action against some protests, including at the University of Birmingham, students continue to demonstrate, calling for various reforms and expressing their stance on international conflicts.