A recent investigation by Liberty Investigates and The Guardian has revealed that two of Cornwall’s universities, the University of Exeter and Falmouth University, registered to attend a webinar detailing how to enact sweeping legal bans on campus-based protest.
These bans, known as injunctions, are a private court order which restrict individuals or “persons unknown” from doing certain things and are often taken out by private businesses and local authorities against activists. For example, in 2022, Shell obtained injunctions for all of their forecourts in England and Wales in order to prevent Just Stop Oil protests. If found to be in breach of the injunction, a person can be held in contempt of court and may be fined or imprisoned.
Shakespeare Martineau LLP, the law firm that held the training, stated on their website:
“In recent years, universities across the UK have seen a rise in unlawful encampments in university buildings and on their grounds. Institutions are increasingly turning to the courts to protect their property and operations against the risk of future unlawful occupation before the trespass takes place.”
The firm also represented Cardiff University earlier this year in court proceedings that resulted the university obtaining an injunction covering most of the campus. This effectively bans any protest that is not pre-approved by the University.
The Shakespeare Martineau webinar took place in October 2024, after UK universities had experienced a wave of Palestine Solidarity Encampments on their campuses. At Tremough Campus in Penryn this saw a dozens of students residing in tents over a 4 month period to pressure the universities to divest from companies associated with Israel. This culminated in the arrest of 4 students who occupied Tremough House. All charges were dropped.
Cornwall’s two universities were amongst only 9 to register for the webinar. The University of Exeter stated they registered but did not attend, receiving presentation slides and information afterwards.
The precedent for this has been set over the last 3 years as Cornwall’s Universities have responded to student protest with increasingly punitive measures. In 2022, a group of students occupied a lecture theatre as part of the international End Fossil campaign. Within 3 days, they had been offered a meeting with the senior management of Falmouth University to discuss the students’ demands, facing no repercussions.
More recently, two former students were arrested for spraying orange paint on the buildings of their respective almae matres as part of the Just Stop Oil student campaign. Both were taken to court on criminal damage charges. The University of Exeter offered no evidence and their alumnus was acquitted, while Falmouth University spoke of the estimated cleaning costs. This resulted in the ex-student facing a 12-month community order with 60 hours of unpaid work plus an order to pay £4,000 compensation directly to Falmouth University.
When approached for comment about the training, the University of Exeter stated:
“It is not uncommon for staff to register for or attend briefings relating to a wide range of topics and discussions. Attendance does not mean we agree with or have adopted the policies discussed.”
Falmouth University offered no response.
Image: Cobblestone Media
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