Discontent over the war in Gaza had been building for months at Trinity College Dublin, but what had been a rumble last week suddenly became a roar.
News broke that Trinity had demanded a heavy sum from the student union after protests had blocked tourist access to the Book of Kells, a major attraction for paying visitors.
Irish lawmakers worried that the university was trying to stifle independent protest, and there were offers of help from lawyers and pro-Palestinian groups.
As the campus dispute became a national one, Trinity, Ireland’s oldest and most prestigious university, agreed on Monday to negotiate with pro-Palestinian demonstrators.
Capping several head-spinning days, Trinity agreed first to abandon some Israeli investments, a step that nearly all U.S. colleges and universities have so far resisted, and then said on Wednesday that it would look into divesting from all such investments.
Persons:
Trinity, Kells
Organizations:
Trinity College Dublin, Trinity
Locations:
Gaza, Ireland’s