The Cambridge Night Climbers have called for the University to cut all financial ties with Israel, leaving Palestinian flags and pro-Palestinian banners on a number of rooftops around the city.

The mysterious group of students carried out the actions over Friday and Saturday night, targeting locations such as St John’s College and the Holy Trinity church.

The group told Varsity that the University of Cambridge “must acknowledge and take actions to end its complicity in the ongoing genocide in Gaza, which to date has slaughtered over 33,000 civilians, including 12,000 children, since October 7 of last year.”

The group cited a 2023 report by Demilitarise Cambridge which alleged that the University received over £4 million in grants from BAE systems, an arms company which “terrorises” Palestinians, they say.

“We are enraged that the university, one of the most prestigious institutions in the world, has been silent on Israel’s current genocide in Gaza. We urge Cambridge University to follow in the footsteps of other universities worldwide to divest from Israel-involved companies,” the night climbers said.

Cambridge Stop the War, a local campaign group, have spoken in support the Night Climbers actions. They told Varsity: “The University receives funding from BAE systems, £4,289,031 grants since 2002. BAE make and supply drones to Israel. Boeing manufacture bombs that are being used on Gaza, the University has received £ 9,801,346 from them.”

“The flags have been placed on buildings to bring attention to these issues,” the group said.

The Night Climbers have also criticised the University’s approach to its Palestinian students, saying that the University offers “an underwhelming amount of welfare support to its Palestinian students.”

“This inadequacy is inexcusable and serves to highlight the university’s double standards in its responses to other regional crises in the past,” they said.

The University is facing continuous protest from its students, pressuring the institution to distance itself from Israel. In February, hundreds of students gathered to call for Cambridge to cut its ties with arms manufacturers.

Trinity College has particularly come under fire from students, after the College was found to hold £61,735 in Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest arms manufacturer. Last month, students gathered outside Trinity, calling on the institution to “stop funding genocide”.

The University of Cambridge has been contacted for comment.