A University of Glasgow student has been found not guilty of Malicious Mischief after her involvement in a pro-Palestine protest.
Hannah Taylor was arrested in February for using a fire extinguisher to spray a university building with red paint and then glue herself to the front of it.
The 24-year-old was cleared at Glasgow Sheriff Court after being arrested and charged by police.
Hannah engaged in the Youth Demand protest with another student, Catriona Roberts, 22, at the James McCune Smith Learning Hub.
The students were demanding the University of Glasgow’s divestment from the arms trade, which has been linked to Israeli violence in Gaza.
Hannah was cleared at Glasgow Sheriff Court via Youth Demand
The protest followed the university’s refusal to prohibit its endowment fund managers from investing in companies that earn more than 10 per cent of their income from arms manufacturing.
The University of Glasgow has over £6.8 million in arms investments, according to the Glasgow University Arms Divestment Coalition. Since 2017, it has also obtained approximately £600,000 in research grants from BAE Systems and Rolls Royce.
After her trial, Hannah told The Herald: “I’m relieved that I didn’t face any severe consequences for my protest. However, as it stands nothing has changed at the university with regard to their investment policies.
“So I would encourage students and people generally to continue to put pressure on Glasgow University and the UK government to divest from Israeli-linked arms companies.”
Hannah daubed the university building in red paint via Youth Demand
The University of Glasgow initially banned Hannah from campus, potentially jeopardising her maths degree. However, following public outcry, including objections from the University of Glasgow’s Rector, Dr. Ghassan Abu-Sittah, the university decided to lift the ban.
The 24-year-old was allowed to return to campus after agreeing not to violate the university’s code of conduct again. She also agreed to pay half of the clean-up fees, amounting to £1,422.
Hannah’s protest is part of a wider global movement on university campuses, with growing calls for divestment from the arms trade and criticisms of institutions’ involvement in the arms industry.
Featured image via Youth Demand
