Police and UEA defend their actions over Palestine protests

An investigation uncovered a series of emails between staff at the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Norfolk police due to increasing tensions on campus amid the war in Israel and Palestine.

In the email chain, between October 2023 and March 2024, UEA staff shared information about events on campus that they feared could escalate.

Emails between the UEA and Norfolk police were released as part of an FOI (Image: Newsquest)

"I am honestly not sure I want to put any of my staff in that space and expect them to police freedom of speech," read one email from a UEA staff member.

It went on to say that they felt it would be a "good idea" to have a police presence for the event, held last October. 

UEA staff requested that a police officer help monitor CCTV during a protest held during an open day last October to "help ensure the safety of all those present at the protest and the open day".

When the Palestine flag was put up in the Students' Union on campus, a police officer visiting the site shared the picture along with the news that there was "possibly" an "extreme" pro-Palestine support group at the university.

Norfolk police were asked to watch the CCTV during a protest held at the UEA during an open day event (Image: Norfolk police)

"Flying that flag isn't an offence ... but I am not sure having the UEA name linked to pro-Palestine movements looks well on the establishment," read the email.

"It's freedom of speech but one to monitor."

The emails also show staff meeting with the UEA Students' Union's Marxist Society to be "extremely clear with them about what is and isn't permissible" in relation to anti-semitism and any words which could be deemed as supportive of Hamas - which is considered a terrorist group by the UK government.

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However, this was followed by further concerns being raised about a "heated debate" in Union Council that described the "Marxist Society in particular was inflammatory in their speech and were potentially unintentionally at risk of inciting violence."

The emails came to light after an article written earlier this month by Liberty Investigates, in collaboration with Metro, suggesting that universities were spying on pro-Palestine protests for the police.

Some of the graffiti that appeared around the UEA campus in February (Image: UEA as accessed by Liberty Investigates and Metro FOI)

Following that article, a spokeswoman for the UEA said: "University is a time to explore ideas and express opinions and we encourage and allow free speech within the law on our campus.

"As a university, we have a responsibility to create an environment where staff and students can feel comfortable to express lawful opinions and challenge established ideas in appropriate ways.

"The data relates to one incident of criminal damage committed by a student, which the university reported to the police."

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In February, sites around the UEA campus were damaged with graffiti.

Images were taken around the campus of the red ink, in which was written: "This uni stands on blood money", "This uni is trash and finances genocide in Palestine" and "This uni should bin banking with Barclays, genocide profiteers".

The police investigated the incidents of criminal damage (Image: UEA as accessed by Liberty Investigations and Metro FOI)

A spokeswoman for Norfolk police said: "We recognise that everyone has the right to free speech and expression, however, officers will take the appropriate action against those who choose to act outside the law.

"Police received a report of criminal damage from the UEA on February 19, 2024, following graffiti being sprayed on campus.

"All lines of enquiry have been exhausted and the case has been closed."