Students arrested in South Africa over anti-rape protests
Five students were arrested and have since been released following protests at Rhodes University. Students were protesting over rape allegations supposedly not taken seriously by the university. Angry scenes spilled over on campus on Wednesday’s protest following 11 names of alleged campus rapists which were published online. Vice Chancellor Sizwe Mabizela stressed that the university has no record of those names and asserted that rape allegations are taken seriously. During the protests, police were present on campus and used pepper spray and rubber bullets against the protesters. The five students were arrested under the Regulation of Gatherings Act. They have been released temporarily and are due to appear in court on July 20th.
Lydia McMath
Fossil fuel protesters face disciplinary action
The University of Edinburgh is to take disciplinary action against students who occupied the university’s main finance office in a bid to pressure the institution to divest from using fossil fuels. After a week of occupation and protest, six members of the People and Planet movement are being investigated for breaching the student code of conduct.
Jonny Chard
Thousands sign petition for pro-life group funding
After the students’ association at Strathclyde University (USSA) stated that groups with anti-abortion views were not eligible for funding from the union, thousands have signed a petition opposing the decision. Gary Paterson, the president of USSA, has spoken out to emphasise that the group has not been banned, but the union will not fund activities that go against their equalities policy, which includes the rights of women to have an abortion if they wish.
Jessica Murray
Pakistani students protest period taboos
Students at Beaconhouse National University in Lahore organised a demonstration for social acceptance of menstruation involving sticking sanitary towels to walls in their university. The hygiene products bore slogans such as “my biology is not gross” and “it’s something so natural?”. Participants called it an “aesthetically based protest” and welcomed questions from male students in a bid to improve understanding of the taboo topic.
Euan Hammond