Pro-Palestinian protesters held a vigil outside Trinity College this evening (29/01), calling on the College to divest from arms companies.

The vigil, organised by Cambridge for Palestine (C4P) commemorated the anniversary of the death of Hind Rajab, a five-year-old girl killed in the Gaza Strip on 29 January 2024 by Israeli forces.

Around 35 people lined up outside Trinity, holding candles and placards featuring images of deceased Gazans.

Pictures of Rajab were projected onto the College chapel, as was an artist’s monoprint of “a thousand” dead Palestinians’ skulls.

During the vigil, a minute’s silence was held. After the silence, activists announced: “Trinity College is profiting from genocide.”

Speakers called out Sally Davies, Master of Trinity and a former Chief Medical Officer, saying, “she is a medic but she does not want to divest from weapons manufacturers.”

They called on Davies to “divest, because we are the people and we will not be silent. We will remember every child that you have helped murder. You are the epitome of hypocrisy, you owe Palestinians an apology.”

This comes two weeks after a ceasefire was agreed between Israel and Hamas.

C4P responded to the armistice on Instagram, stating: “This Sunday, the Cambridge community welcomed the ceasefire. As we honor the relief and joy of the steadfast people of Gaza, we recommit ourselves to the struggle against the complicity of our institutions, in pursuit of a free Palestine.”

One speaker at the vigil told Varsity: “Trinity College funds genocide. Trinity College profits from genocide. Trinity College invests nearly £62,000 in genocide and profits from murdering children.”

When asked by Varsity about the recent ceasefire, this speaker responded, “What ceasefire?”.

After the vigil, attendees went on to Parkers’ Piece to join a separate vigil.

On Saturday (25/01), C4P held a ‘Wave of Light’ rally in Cambridge to mark Burns night, in which attendees read poems aloud and flashed torches.

In December, activists from C4P and the Organisation of Radical Cambridge Activists (ORCA) sprayed red paint on the outside of Trinity chapel and disrupted a College evensong, holding a banner displaying the words “Trinity College funds genocide” during the service.

Earlier that month, Trinity was referred to the United Nations for allegedly “aiding and abetting international crimes against Palestinians”. According to Freedom of Information Requests, Trinity holds investments in Israeli arms company Elbit Systems which produces 85% of the drones and land equipment used by the Israeli army.

This followed reports in November that Trinity ruled out arms divestment, after reportedly telling students that it had decided to pull its investments in arms companies.

Trinity College and Cambridge for Palestine have been contacted for comment.