High Court ruling grants ‘narrow and limited’ order on protests at University of Cambridge sites
The University of Cambridge secured a “very narrow and limited court order” at the High Court last week, ensuring only that it could prohibit direct action at Senate House and Senate House Yard for the weekend’s graduations.
The High Court ruling on Thursday (27 February) saw the case for a longer block on - the University of Cambridge had been seeking a five-year injunction to prevent direct action linked to the Palestine cause without its approval- rejected.
The court heard the university’s application for an injunction on protests taking place on its land, specifically Senate House and Yard, Greenwich House and The Old Schools on Thursday. The university had sought an injunction prohibiting direct action related to the conflict, without its consent, at four locations until February 2030.
At the High Court hearing, the University’s lawyers argued the injunction is “urgently” needed ahead of a graduation ceremony on Saturday (1 March).
Mr Justice Fordham rejected the longer-term application, but said he would grant a “very narrow and limited court order”.
The High Court in London was told that the injunction application came after encampments organised by Cambridge for Palestine were set up on Senate House Yard in May and November 2024.
Another protest at its Greenwich House site in November 2024 was also presented as evidence.
Mr Justice Fordham, in rejecting the bid for a five-year injunction, said that it was “a matter of significant concern” that the university’s application offered little time for potential interested parties to properly respond.
The university provided evidence of two disrupted ceremonies and three prospective ones, while Mr Justice Fordham said the court had not been told about 10 other graduation ceremonies that went ahead unimpeded by protests during the relevant May to December 2024 time period.
“It was important that the court was given a full factual picture and not simply told about the graduation events that had been disrupted,” said the judge.
The European Legal Support Centre (ELSC), whose lawyers challenged the university’s bid, said: “This is a significant victory – one that sends a strong message to other universities attempting to impose such draconian restrictions on freedom of assembly and protest.
“The University of Cambridge’s efforts to undermine its students’ civil liberties – by seeking an injunction to effectively ban expressions of Palestine solidarity both on and off campus until 2030 – represented the broadest restriction on university protests to date.”
A University of Cambridge spokesperson welcomed the decision to grant an interim injunction and added: “The court agreed that this injunction does not undermine freedom of speech.
“The university is fully committed to supporting the right to protest and to freedom of speech within the law.
“There are many places that protests within the law can take place.”
More details about the interim injunction are expected to be clarified in the coming days.
A further hearing is expected at a later date.
On Saturday (1 March) a protest took place in the centre of Cambridge highlighting the ongoing situation in Gaza, where humanitarian aid has again been stopped from entering as Israel demands Hamas agree to a US-approved plan for a ceasefire extension.
