The University of Glasgow is investigating students who were allegedly “celebrating” the October 7th Hamas-led attacks on Israel during a pro-Palestine protest.
If the students said to be involved have breached the code of conduct, the university has pledged to take disciplinary action against them.
The group gathered in the university’s cloisters after an Instagram post by the Glasgow University Justice for Palestine Society (GUJPS) called for demonstrators to “celebrate the glorious Al-Aqsa Flood”.
The Al-Aqsa Flood is the name given by Hamas to the October 7th attacks, and the university has since condemned the demonstration, calling the alleged glorification of violence “abhorrent”.
There are mounting concerns from Jewish students over what they have described as a “normalisation of antisemitism” on campus, following the protest in the historic Gilbert Scott building on the second anniversary of the Hamas-led attacks.
In an Instagram post, the Glasgow University Justice for Palestine Society (GUJPS) described the October 7th attack as “the glorious Al-Aqsa Flood which permanently crippled the Zionist entity.”
The post’s caption continued: “Whilst we commemorate two years of genocide with over 680,000 Palestinians in Gaza killed, we celebrate the glorious Al-Aqsa Flood which permanently crippled the Zionist entity, putting it into a state of slow but inevitable collapse.
“We honour the resistance which has led the path for our people’s liberation, and fought tirelessly against the most technologically advanced army, yet remain steadfast and undefeated.”
The number cited in the post— 680,000 Palestinians allegedly killed — is ten times higher than figures claimed by the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.
The Al-Aqsa Flood is the name given by Hamas, a proscribed terrorist organisation in the UK, to the October 7th attacks. The society’s language has been widely condemned by Jewish and pro-Israeli groups as glorifying terrorism and inciting hatred.
In another video circulated by the society, students can be heard chanting “Long Live the Intifada”— a slogan referring to Palestinian uprisings against Israel, but one that many Jewish students view as a violent call to arms.
The group also held banners reading “Glory to our Martyrs”.
The university has been accused of failing to address Jewish students’ fears
Some students attending the demonstration and others like it insisted the protests were not antisemitic. However, Jewish students have since accused the university administration of failing to adequately address their fears.
David Duncan, the university’s secretary and deputy vice-chancellor, has written to the GUJPS demanding that they “remove the post and repudiate its sentiments.” The university confirmed to The Times that disciplinary proceedings could follow.
“We uphold the right of all members of the university community to engage in peaceful protest. However, where identified individuals are found to have breached the code of conduct, we will take disciplinary action,” a spokesperson from the university said.
“Moreover, we will not hesitate to call the police where individuals on campus are believed to be breaking the law.”
The “Glory to our Martyrs” banner, written in both English and Arabic, also sparked criticism from Jewish and pro-Israeli groups, who argued that the language appeared to celebrate terrorism.
Whilst Palestinians and their supporters sometimes use the term “shaheed” (martyr) to refer to victims of the conflict, the reference to “celebrating the Al-Aqsa Flood” was viewed by many as direct support for a terror act.
In what appeared to be a reference to Hamas—an acronym for the “Islamic Resistance Movement”—the society wrote: “We honour the resistance which has led the path for our people’s liberation and fought tirelessly against the most technologically advanced army, yet remain steadfast and undefeated.”
Some Jewish students say they feel like ‘a target’
Jewish students have previously expressed fears over pro-Palestine demonstrations on campus. One student told The Tab Glasgow: “It’s becoming harder to feel comfortable when protests cross into glorifying violence. There’s a big difference between supporting Palestinian rights and celebrating attacks on civilians.”
Another Jewish student, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “I’m scared to wear my Star of David necklace around campus now. It feels like being visibly Jewish makes you a target.
“The university keeps saying they stand with us, but when people chant things that call for violence against Jews and nothing happens, it’s hard to believe that.”
Laura Schosloff, the sister of Bernard Cowan—a Scottish man killed in the October 7th attack—said she was appalled by the protest.
“They’re celebrating the deaths of 1,200 people who were massacred in Israel. It’s totally unacceptable. No death should ever be celebrated,” she told The Times. “I just see a lot of hatred, not just towards Israel but towards the Jewish people. We should be able to live together.”
Louis Danker, president of the Union of Jewish Students (UJS), said the incident reflects a wider national problem. He warned that antisemitism has become “normalised” across UK campuses since the Hamas attacks.
“For two years now, the activities of Hamas have been justified and glorified on campus,” he said. “We cannot allow this behaviour to become the norm.”
The UJS has launched its “Stand Against Terror” campaign, urging universities to enforce codes of conduct, discipline staff who endorse extremism, and bring in Jewish-led training on antisemitism.
A University of Glasgow spokesperson said: “The university’s priority is the safety and wellbeing of our students and colleagues.
“We oppose hate and harassment in all forms and ask all members of our community to treat each another with courtesy and respect.
“The university fully recognises the concerns of Jewish students. Senior managers are in regular contact with the university’s Jewish Society as well as with Jewish members of staff and leaders of the Jewish community in Scotland.”
‘People are angry because they see what’s happening in Gaza every day – that doesn’t mean they hate Jews’
At the University of Strathclyde, a separate rally took place on 7th October, where organisers and protestors explicitly condemned the violence.
Amina Khan, 19, a product engineering student from Glasgow who attended the Strathclyde rally, said: “We’ve organised the protest to acknowledge what happened on October 7th. We’re here to say what happened was horrific and we don’t support that. What we want is an end to the violence.”
Amina criticised Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s comments in The Times, where he described the anniversary protests as “un-British.”
She added: “We don’t feel our protest should be postponed just because Keir Starmer, who is complicit in this genocide, says so. He’s still selling arms to Israel — it feels like an attempt to silence the student voice.”
A Muslim student at Glasgow Uni, who did not take part in the GUJPS event but spoke to The Glasgow Tab, said: “People are angry because they see what’s happening in Gaza every day. That doesn’t mean they hate Jews — they’re protesting a government’s actions, not a religion. I do think the language used by some groups goes too far, but most students just want justice and peace.”
A third year studying economics and business at Glasgow Uni shared a different view, saying he felt sympathy for Jewish and Israeli students. “Coming from the Middle East, I understand the history and emotion behind all this,” he said. “But what I saw at the cloisters was hate, not activism. You can support Palestinian rights without celebrating mass murder. I stand with my Jewish classmates —no one should feel unsafe just for who they are.”
As investigations continue, the University of Glasgow has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety of Jewish and Palestinian students alike.
The GUJPS did not respond to a request for comment.
The Home office declined a request for comment.
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