HAVE SOME RESPECT

Pro-Palestine students take to the streets in defiance of Starmer plea not to demonstrate

- RUTH SUTER

PRO-PALESTINE activists faced criticism last night for protesting on the streets of Scotland on the second anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.

Hundreds turned out for student demonstrations in Glasgow and Edinburgh on yesterday in defiance of Keir Starmer, who urged people to think carefully about their actions.

The Prime Minister said it was “un-British to have little respect for others” and warned of “rising anti-Semitism on our streets”.

Yesterday marked two years since nearly 1200 people were killed during Hamas' invasion of Israel, with men, women and children murdered as they fled.

Students and staff gathered at Edinburgh University’s main library on George Square, carrying flags and placards bearing pro-Palestinian slogans on the anniversary.

The crowd chanted “shame” and cheered during intervals as speakers called for an end to the conflict. Protesters also called for theuniversity to ditch investment in firms they said are producing weapons being used in the war.

Despite the PM’s comments, Edinburgh University staff member Sara Al Disi, 32, said: “We should protest today, especially because they're trying to make it so (we can't) on that day - to say that they're hypocrites.”

In a letter to students before the protest, university principal Peter Mathieson said: “I appeal to members of our community, to think about their actions, their motivations and the effect that they might have on other members of our community.”