Pro-Palestine protesters held an hour-long sit-in at Queens’ College on Saturday morning (8/11), before a city-wide Palestine march on Sunday.

The sit-in was organised by Queens’ for Palestine, who said they were “protesting Queens’ College’s investments in arms and weapons manufacturing and occupation, by which Queens’ is contributing to the ongoing genocide in Gaza”.

Around 20 students gathered in Queens’ Cloister Court at 11am, laying out banners reading, “Queens’ 4 Palestine,” “273k in Genocide” (the number of pounds they allege the College has invested in arms companies), and “Divest Now!”.

The activists, many of whom were waving Palestine flags and wearing keffiyehs, then moved to Queens’ iconic Mathematical Bridge for the remaining half hour. The group said they chose the location “to let everyone know that the College has blood on its hands”.

This comes as voting in a Queens’ JCR referendum on whether students should be involved in a working group on arms divestment is set to close at 11pm tonight (11/11).

A Queens’ College spokesperson responded: “The College’s top priority remains to continue to support all our students, staff and Fellows. We vehemently reject the claim that Queens’ College has ‘blood on its hands’ through its existing investments.

“The College takes its responsibility on investments seriously. We regularly assess all investments – whether direct, via appointed managers, or indirect (such as pooled funds and ETFs) – against agreed risk parameters and with due regard to environmental, social and governance issues.

“Queens’ College has always been, and will remain, committed to constructive dialogue with our student members and extensive support was offered to all members of the College for the duration of the protest.”

Another pro-Palestine protest took place on Sunday afternoon, involving both student and local groups. The demonstrators marched from Cambridge railway station to St John’s College, before turning back towards King’s Parade.

There, the activists tied a banner, which read “Freedom Liberation Justice For All. Sudan. Palestine. Lebanon”, to the Senate House railings.

Writing on Instagram, Cambridge for Palestine said: “This Remembrance Sunday, we remember the millions silenced, displaced, and oppressed under colonial violence. We remember Palestine, Congo, Sudan – and all who resist.”

Speakers at the protest included Aaron “Air” White, a participant of both the Gaza Freedom Flotilla and Global Simud Flotilla, as well as the Muslim poet Kinan Salaam. Usama Ghanem, who was suspended from King’s College London for his Palestine activism, and a Sudanese student also spoke at the event.

The post continued: “From the past to the present, the struggle for freedom, liberation and justice continues. Join us as we honour resistance and stand against colonialism. Bring your flags, bring your placards as we walk in somber silence remembering all those lost.”

Activists read out the names of children killed in Israeli attacks, and carried photographs of murdered Palestinians as part of the Gaza Faces campaign. They also waved Palestinian, Congolese, Lebanese, and Sudanese flags.