University of Leicester students join Gaza protest movement

Students from the University of Leicester in central England have set up a Gaza solidarity encampment on their campus, joining a global movement demanding educational institutions cut their ties with Israel.

Amongst the demands issued by students in Leicester is that their university distances itself from barrister Malcolm Shaw, professor emeritus at the university's law school and representative of Israel at the International Court of Justice where it is accused of committing genocide.

Israel has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians in Gaza since it began its bombardment of the besieged territory in October.

The death toll includes Wiesam Essa, a former University of Manchester researcher, who was set to be an incoming University of Leicester scholar.

An Israeli bombing killed Essa in Gaza in early January.

The photos below were taken by University of Leicester student Hannah Houghton on 11 May.

They show members of the local community marching on the campus to express solidarity with the students involved in the sit-in.