"I'm Not A Delusional Protester" | Pro-Palestine Student Clashes With Kevin O'Sullivan

let talk about these Campus Camps that are cropping up all over the states uh with rather alarming consequences violence on the campuses particularly at Colombia University in uh New York where 300 arrests were made the other night and in UCLA in California in Los Angeles the scenes were extraordinary they were like something out of a sci-fi film so what's happening over there is the cops are really moving in no holds B and the students are fighting back and you got B basically all out war on uh many campuses across the Across America and now of course uh we've got the same copycat situation over in Britain where in particular Newcastle University and Manchester University have got very significant Campus Camps and they are of course Pro Palestine stop the war Stop The Killing uh we all want that uh so let's talk to uh one of the uh uh participants in the campus situation at Manchester University zann alud uh she's a medical student hi zanen hello good to meet you thank you very much uh for joining us uh um tell us why uh you are supporting your fellow students as they set up this Camp to protest about uh the Gaza War um by my fellow students you mean those in America well those in America and here in Britain as well and particular Manchester and uh uh Newcastle okay well the answer is quite simple we're standing in solidarity for every student in Gazza who has basically been forced to stop their studies whose graduations have been stopped who cohorts of students have basically been martyred within the span of six months we're standing in solidarity with them because every student has a right to education and every person has a right to freedom and speech and I heard you use the term copycat situation which I disagree with rather i' call it we're inspired by them we're inspired by what's happening fair enough fair enough fair enough yeah yeah not copycat in inspired by that's good okay got that uh carry on yeah so that's basically it me I'm a medical student um I'm PR a medical student at the University of Manchester and I feel it's my duty as a medical student to uphold the reasons why I even entered this career in the first place to uphold the rights of human life and for people to live in dignity and honor orbe it no matter where they're from no matter their Creed no matter the color of their skin so that is exactly why I'm here why I'm showing support why I'm trying to spread the word on my social media platforms um because I think it's great that students were proactive enough to organize this in the first place um so that answers your question I believe it certainly does uh now uh let me tell you about a university in America so uh you know hundreds of uh universities in America have now got these Campus Camps all protest about what's going on in Gaza I mean by the way by the way Zan you and I probably wouldn't agree on all that much but we all agree no one wants to see this uh Mass killing going on all the deaths in Gaza and we all hope for a solution so on that we of course agree uh however uh you know I would question just how significant it is that students like yourself uh sort of uh sideline this studies to take part in these demonstrations particularly if now they're now going on on a sort of 247 basis uh but let me tell you this in Florida the University of Florida that that is one of the very very few universities in America that do not have Campus Camps and that's because the dean of the University of Florida said uh you're not allowed to pitch tents you can certainly exercise your Free Speech but uh if if you get involved in violence or you start holding up placards that are shall we say uh racist or provocative or anti-semitic you will be instantly expelled uh what would you say if uh the dean of your University said uh if you don't take those tents down you're going to be expelled would you uh make a stand or would you say my studies are more important than this demonstration um to be honest I feel like you're asking me an extremely hypothetical question just to get a reaction and to see yeah yeah that's what we do in journalism yeah that's what we do yeah um so the premise of the question so the answer is Zan you're asking me for an answer that's based on a fallacy well no if you're Dean it's a fair question come on if your Dean said take those tents down or you'll be expelled instantly would you take the tents down so the thing is in Britain it's quite an easy answer it's quite an easy question in the same way you understand journalism I understand how to respond to journalists all right you specific answer and it's one that I I can't give to you to be honest because I've not been put in that situation it's like if there was a going you you can imagine it Zan you can imagine it no you're right I can imagine it and to be honest with you I'd like to believe and to be honest I disagree with your question because you're doing a disservice to democracy that we have in the UK by comparing us to America so you by asking that are actually criticizing what's happening in America because that would never happen in the UK which I'm grateful for what do you mean it wouldn't happen of course it could a deal of University could turn around and say look uh I've had enough of this take those tents down or you will be expelled from this University you is that reasonable you don't think that's even remotely plausible in Britain to be honest listen honestly no and I'd like it is plausible Zan it is plausible well I'd wait until it happens for me to start calling it plausible when it hits the UK if you can ask me that question are you going to go don't be a doctor Zing go into politics you're really good at this seriously uh so how how long do you think uh the tents and the demos at Manchester where you are Will Go On for will they go on until there's some sort of Peace in Gaza because you're in for the Long Haul if that's the case to be honest with you I'm answering completely honestly and completely realistically I'm not a delusional um protester I'm a medical student I'm logical at the same time I'm I'm gleaning that Zing don't worry I've got I've got that on board thank you so much I have no idea what the outcome of this encampment will be and I have no idea if how long it will last however what's been said is that we will be here until our aims have been achieved um that we want from the University we want them to divers from BAE Systems we want them to disassociate from Tel Aviv University and Hebrew University of Jerusalem because they're heavily Associated to the IDF and basically we just don't want our University to be associated with arguably government that even remotely could be associated with genocide we might disagree whether what Israel is doing is genocide or upper tidal or not I I I have no idea what your political stance is however would it not be best for us to air on the side of caution as a British University as a country that should rely on the principles of respect freedom and dignity for all human life I mean we can argue about self-defense or we like and go into the politics of it but I think that would be a waste of both of our times but ultimately I believe University of Manchester kind of has a moral and ethical responsibility to disassociate from it in the same way they don't want to be Associated to a university in Palestine don't we asso University in Israel by the way Zan I really like your stance about supporting students the right for Education uh I don't think there are any Universities functioning in Gaza right now I'm with you on that every student should have the right for a proper education and that is a good cause to stand for but what would you say um if Manchester University bosses turn around to you say whether or not we deal with Bae uh is nothing to do with you and you can all do one well to be honest with you I think using oam's razor that is probably a very likely outcome however we have to do what we can ultimately you need to look at yourself in the mirror every day and feel like you did what you could do even if your desired outcome was not achieved and that that's where I'm coming from because me in the future I want to go back and what I did what I could I went to I helped I supported whatever the outcome is in the end it's about what the intention was so you're you're very asking me a very realistic question which I completely respect so honestly God knows what's going to happen God knows how much this will achieve but I think it's just so every single student here can kind of live with themselves a bit and so that we can feel like we did something even saying I don't completely agree with you but but good but but good for you good for you good for all of you uh but I'm not sure sure the 10th city is the answer but uh good luck and it was really nice to talk to you all the best

Channel: TalkTV

Views: 107,687

Keywords: debate, free speech, freedom of expression, talk radio, talk radio live, talk radio tv, talk tv, talkTV, talkradio, talkradio tv, talkradiotv, talktv live, uk, talktv, conflict, israel palestine conflict, israel, israelis, hamas, hamas group, attack, war crimes, armed conflict, retaliation, offensive, dispute, israel state, hummus, tanks, invasion, ground offensive, military, israeli defence force, rafah, bombing, gaza, palestine, manchester university protest, ucla protest, columbia protest

Id: F2qwAs7s0UM

Length: 9min 24sec (564 seconds)

Published: Fri May 03 2024