College fines students' union €214k over protests
Trinity College Dublin issued the fine on Thursday
One of Ireland’s top universities has fined its students’ union €214,000 (£183,000) over protests on campus.
Trinity College Dublin (TCD) has cited a loss of income as a result of recent blockades of the Book of Kells tourist attraction.
Students have demonstrated against proposed course fee hikes, increased accommodation costs and the university’s response to the war in Gaza.
The matter was first reported on Thursday by college newspaper Trinity News.
The current and incoming students’ union leadership have also been summoned to a disciplinary hearing next week.
TCD says the protests have had a “negative financial impact” on the university
The Book of Kells is an illuminated manuscript which is more than 1,200 years old. It is regarded as one of the greatest treasures of Celtic art.
The book has been in the hands of TCD since the 17th century and now attracts more than half a million tourists a year with admission starting from €19 (£16).
In a statement, TCD said it is a not-for-profit organisation that “cannot survive solely on government funding and depends on other sources of income”.
The student blockades have had “a negative financial impact”, according to the university.
“The income generated from the Book of Kells is vital to keep the university going and it supports initiatives such as student services, the student hardship fund etc,” a TCD spokesperson said.
The college added it “supports students’ right to protest within the rules of the university”.
Trinity students and workers join blockade of Book of Kells in protest of @tcddublin's silence on Gaza genocide and ties with Israeli institutions complicit in the war-industry. pic.twitter.com/3GrqRQZWhP
— László Molnárfi (SU) (@TCDSU_President) February 7, 2024
According to Trinity News, the fine equates to about 20% of the Students’ Union total annual income.
The newspaper based this estimate on financial reports for the year ended 30 June 2021.
The union has been given until 30 May to pay the invoice.
TCD SU President László Molnárfi called the fine “an absolutely shameful act of union busting” by the university.
“Students and staff stand united against management’s suppression of the student voice that has protested for Palestine, for graduate worker rights, and against fees and rising rents,” he told Irish broadcaster RTÉ.
‘Worrying echo’ of US protests
Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Mick Barry TD said the fine represents a “serious attack on the right to protest”.
He added it is “very possibly a warning to students not to emulate the pro-Palestinian campus encampments in the US”.
Police in the US have detained more than 2,000 people nationwide in the past fortnight at college rallies and protest camps.
Students have also occupied UK campuses in protest against the conflict in Gaza with pro-Palestinian protesters in cities including London, Manchester, Newcastle and Leeds setting up tents outside university buildings.