Pro-Palestinian student protesters dismantle month-long encampment at LSE

Pro-Palestinian student protesters have dismantled their month-long encampment at the London School of Economics (LSE).

Dozens of demonstrators emptied out of the ground floor of the Marshall Building on Monday, minutes before the 4pm deadline given by a court order which demanded they leave the premises within 24 hours.

Organisers hastily removed tents, signs and sleeping bags before the crowd inside climbed out through the building’s windows at 3.40pm.

The remaining activists gathered outside to chant as security staff closed the building’s windows once all the protesters had left.

Before the removal of the encampment, Jeremy Corbyn addressed demonstrators, telling them: “You’re in solidarity with students all around the world, in the US and in Gaza.”

The former Labour leader told the PA news agency: “I say well done to these students – peacefully demonstrating in support of the people of Gaza who are being bombarded.”

One of the students protesting was Annabelle, a 24-year-old from Washington DC studying for a masters in global politics.

The group spokeswoman, who refused to give her surname, said: “The school decided that instead of engaging students they would use legal measures.

“Anybody (who stayed) would be faced with criminal charges.

“A majority of students here are on visas so we could not risk it.

“We did not have much of a choice.”

She added: “Our eviction does not change our strength. It has only empowered us to fight harder. We are organising.”

Asked if the protesters would consider reoccupying the ground floor of the building, she said: “I cannot say for sure what our next plans are.

“But this is not the end of our movement.”

Another demonstrator, a student from Wisconsin who is studying for a masters in humanitarian emergencies, said the tents and sleeping bags that had been taken out of the building were going into storage.

Students set up the encampment on May 14 after a report alleged that LSE has invested £89 million in 137 companies involved in the conflict in Gaza, fossil fuels, the arms industry, or nuclear weapons production.

The university began legal action to remove the group earlier this month, seeking a court order forcing the students to disband it.

At a hearing at Central London County Court on Friday, District Judge Kevin Moses issued an interim possession order, requiring the group to leave the premises within 24 hours once the order was served.

He said the group “are aware of the difficulties they are causing the claimants”.

The judge added: “They are aware of the difficulties they are causing to other users of the premises.”

A further hearing in the case is due to be held at a later date.