Just In : Ireland University Fines Students’ Union €214,000 Over Protest Against War In Gaza, Others
The school management said there was a drop in its revenue due to the demonstration and recent blockades of the Book of Kells tourist attraction.
A prominent university in Ireland, Trinity College Dublin (TCD) has fined its students’ union €214,000 (£183,000) over protests on campus.
It was gathered that students protested against proposed course fee hikes, increased accommodation costs and the university’s response to the war in Gaza.
According to BBC, the school management said there was a drop in its revenue due to the demonstration and recent blockades of the Book of Kells tourist attraction.
The present and incoming student union leaders have also been summoned for a disciplinary hearing next week.
The Book of Kells is an illuminated manuscript that is almost 1,200 years old. It is regarded as one of the most valuable works of Celtic art.
The book has been in the hands of TCD since the 17th century and currently attracts almost half a million visitors each year, with entrance starting at €19 (£16).
In a statement, TCD said it is a not-for-profit organisation that “cannot survive solely on government funding and depends on other sources of income”.
The student blockades have had “a negative financial impact”, according to the university.
“The income generated from the Book of Kells is vital to keep the university going and it supports initiatives such as student services, the student hardship fund etc,” a TCD spokesperson said.
The college added it “supports students’ right to protest within the rules of the university”.
According to Trinity News, the fine equates to about 20% of the Students’ Union total annual income.
The estimate was based on financial reports for the year ended 30 June 2021.
The union has been given until 30 May to pay the invoice.
TCD SU President László Molnárfi called the fine “an absolutely shameful act of union busting” by the university.
“Students and staff stand united against management’s suppression of the student voice that has protested for Palestine, for graduate worker rights, and against fees and rising rents,” he told Irish broadcaster RTÉ.
