Gaza protest occupies lawn outside graduation hall

Protesters used ladders to access the lawn of Senate House in Cambridge city centre

Students protesting against the war in Gaza have taken over the lawns outside an iconic university building.

Members of Cambridge for Palestine had entered Greenwich House in the city on Friday and activists have since set up outside Senate House near King's College Chapel.

The group claimed the university had not acted on previous agreements to review investments in the defence and arms industry.

A university spokesperson said the disruption by a "small group of students is unacceptable".

Staff at the university, who were based at the building, were advised to work from home on Wednesday.

Protesters were seen using ladders to climb onto the lawn and attached flags and banners to the railings.

University graduation ceremonies have been held at Senate House since the 18th Century.

This Cambridge for Palestine member, who gave his name as Morris and said he was a student at the university, said the requested negotiations had not taken place

Morris, who said he was an undergraduate student and spokesperson for the group, claimed: "They agreed to negotiations after the encampment in the summer and we agreed to decamp... that has not taken place in the way that was agreed or desired so we are here again."

The group has a number of demands, including asking the university to label Israel's military operation in Gaza as genocide, and to boycott "institutions and companies" who are "complicit" in the "systematic killing and starving of innocent civilians" in Palestine.

The university said it recognised the "importance of peaceful protest within the law, and the deeply-held concerns" about the current situation in Gaza, Israel and Lebanon.

It said: "On 25 November, the University Council reaffirmed membership of the working group to explore the university's relationship with the defence industry.

"The terms of reference for this group were also reaffirmed.

"This important work will now commence."