Protesting Investments in Israeli Weapons Manufacturers: Students Demand Divestment at Cambridge University
The University of Cambridge's Trinity College is currently at the centre of intense student-led protests, with demonstrators calling for the college to cut financial ties with firms allegedly complicit in violations of international law. The protests, organised by Cambridge for Palestine (C4P), have been ongoing since May 30, 2025, with students demanding the college divest from companies like Elbit Systems, an Israeli arms manufacturer heavily involved in Gaza, for whom Trinity College has invested £61,735.
The protesters, who carried signs reading "Ceasefire now!" and "Divest from genocide", also targeted Caterpillar, a US-based heavy equipment company, with investments worth approximately $3.2m, due to their alleged role in the conflict. At least one banner held up at Saturday's protest explicitly referenced Elbit and Caterpillar's roles in the occupation of Palestine.
Trinity College, however, has remained resistant to these demands. Despite growing pressure from students and staff, the college has stalled on a comprehensive review of its investments, reaffirming its arms investment policy and maintaining holdings in companies implicated in the conflict. This decision has led to accusations of potential complicity in war crimes and legal notices from the UK-based International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), warning that "officers, directors, and shareholders at the college may be individually criminally liable if they maintain their investments in arms companies that are potentially complicit in Israeli war crimes and crimes against humanity".
The protests at Trinity College have been met with institutional resistance. Trinity College and St John's College have obtained interim court injunctions to remove the encampments and prevent re-establishment on their grounds, citing disruption to academic activities and concerns over the atmosphere created by protesters. This move has sparked criticism from activists who view the legal actions as an attempt to suppress legitimate dissent.
The demonstrators are not only demanding divestment but also urging the college to adopt an ethical investment framework, redirect funds towards Palestinian communities, and fully disclose financial relationships with companies violating international law. This activism forms part of a broader national trend, with similar campaigns and divestment calls emerging at other UK academic institutions like Oxford and King’s College Cambridge, the latter recently committing to divestment from arms companies linked to Israel’s actions in Gaza.
The situation in Gaza remains dire. More than 31,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's war on Gaza, with at least 70,000 wounded. The UN announced earlier this month that 80 percent of Gaza is now uninhabitable, and the hunger rate stands at 100 percent. At least 25 people have died from malnutrition and dehydration since the start of the war, with a 10-year-old child with cerebral palsy among those who have died from malnutrition and dehydration.
The company's weapons, including those produced by Elbit Systems, have reportedly been used in Gaza since October 7 and are also reported to have been used in the occupied West Bank and southern Lebanon. The UN and several aid agencies have repeatedly warned that Gaza is on the brink of famine.
Last month, the UK coordinated aid drops with Israel in different areas of the blockaded Gaza Strip, but the Palestinians claim the quantities of aid are too small to meet the needs of a starving population. The incident involving the protest at Trinity College is now under police investigation.
[1] Cambridge for Palestine (C4P) [2] The Guardian [3] The Independent [4] BBC News
- The news outlet The Guardian reports that the protests by Cambridge for Palestine (C4P) at the University of Cambridge's Trinity College have been growing in intensity, with students demanding the college cut financial ties with firms like Elbit Systems and Caterpillar, allegedly complicit in Palestinian occupation and Gaza conflict.
- The Middle East section of The Independent has covered the ongoing student-led protests, pointing out that the protesters have accused Trinity College of potential complicity in war crimes for its investments in arms companies like Elbit Systems and Caterpillar.
- BBC News highlights the demands by the Trinity College protesters, who are not only calling for divestment but also advocating for an ethical investment framework, redirecting funds towards Palestinian communities, and full disclosure of financial relationships with companies violating international law.
- The general news section of various outlets, including The Guardian, The Independent, and BBC News, has featured stories about the dire situation in Gaza, where more than 31,000 Palestinians have been killed and 80 percent of Gaza is now deemed uninhabitable. These reports often mention the alleged use of weapons by companies like Elbit Systems in the conflict.
- Education-and-self-development channels, though less likely to cover the direct events in Gaza, have started focusing on the role of politics and conflicts in shaping the future of Palestine, offering resources for readers and students to understand the issues and participate in discussions about potential solutions, including education and self-development initiatives for youth in Palestine.
