Hundreds of protected areas are under pressure from Scotland’s massive deer herd. Most agree deer numbers must be controlled to protect the environment, but are split on what should be done.
Edinburgh University students were “interrogated” by police at their desks over posters featuring Palestinians killed by the Israeli military, prompting dozens to complain.
Unsafe levels of faecal bacteria were recorded at dozens of Scotland’s best beaches this summer. Swimmers and paddlers could be at risk, but officials insist water quality remains high.
Edinburgh University students were “interrogated” by police at their desks over posters featuring Palestinians killed by the Israeli military, prompting dozens to complain.
Students working in Edinburgh University were “interrogated” by police at their desks over posters featuring Palestinians killed by the Israeli military, prompting dozens to sign a letter of complaint.
Police officers questioned students on campus last month after receiving an allegation that one poster featured a member of Hamas.
The university had been informed about the visit but students had not, with some saying they felt “intimidated” after being “interrogated” by officers.
Following the incident, 78 PhD students wrote a letter to the university expressing “shock” that officers were “allowed to wander freely through the building” and question “any student in sight” without warning.
Students said the allegation that one poster featured a Hamas member is unsubstantiated and claimed that questioning by the police was an attempt to stop them expressing support for Palestinians.
Police Scotland told The Ferret it had informed the university that officers would be visiting in advance, adding it had not received any complaints about the visit. Edinburgh University said it has a responsibility to assist with police investigations.
Authorising this police visit has completely eroded my trust in the university. Edinburgh University doesn’t care about us.
PhD student
PhD social sciences students were working in their offices at George Square on 22 October when two police community support officers appeared and questioned them at their desks.
The officers asked students for their names and contact details, and details of any individuals they suspected may have put the posters up. While campus security allowed officers into the building, police questioned students unaccompanied.
Police Scotland said a complaint they received about “the contents of a poster” displayed in the building’s windows prompted the visit. At the time, students had filled windows with posters of the faces of around 60 Palestinians killed by the Israeli military since 2023.
The complaint alleged that one poster showed a Hamas operative but students said police pointed to a poster showing Palestinian journalist Anas al-Sharif.
Al-Sharif was Al Jazeera’s Gaza correspondent. Evidence has been provided by Israel of Al-Sharif’s links to Hamas, though the credibility of this has been disputed by leading international media and organisations such as the Committee for the Protection of Journalists.
Al-Sharif claimed this was a smear campaign and a precursor to his assassination. He was killed by the Israeli military weeks later in a press tent.
Rae Carlile was the first student the officers questioned. Carlile said: “It’s extremely intimidating to just be getting on with work, when suddenly the police appear and start questioning you. The university doesn’t seem to care about the impact this has had.”
“If any department should understand the importance of memorialisation and solidarity, it’s the social sciences. But now we’re being intimidated by the police for doing that.”
The Ferret spoke to one student who put the posters up. She used the pseudonym Fernanda, as she fears police or university reprisals. She claimed that many international students are afraid police interactions could create issues with their visas.
Fernanda said: “By authorising this visit the university completely abdicated its duty of care to migrant students… I have no faith that the university will protect me if I’m in harm’s way”.
Fernanda questioned why the university and Police Scotland authorised the questioning of students when there was no evidence of criminal activity. Displaying outward facing posters is against university policy, but does not break any laws, she argued.
Fernanda added: “Police Scotland needs to answer to this. By this standard, tomorrow I could make a complaint about a poster with Keir Starmer’s face on it and say ‘hey that’s a known Hamas member’ and they would investigate it and start questioning everyone. It’s insane they didn’t check.”
She continued: “It’s like due process is suspended because of the word Hamas.”
Police Scotland said it established that the poster was not of a criminal nature and no further action will be taken.
The posters have since been removed.
Following the police visit, 78 PhD students in the Social and Political Sciences department sent a formal letter of complaint to the head of school, John Devaney. The university responded to say it appreciated students may have been “taken aback”, but that it would always seek to assist the police.
This letter is the latest in a series of complaints made against the university around Palestine.
In December 2024 an open letter signed by 12 organisations including UCU Edinburgh, plus 363 staff and 126 PhD researchers, accused Edinburgh University of suppressing freedom of expression regarding Palestine.
Edinburgh University said: “The university works to ensure that all members of its diverse community - including students, staff, partners and visitors - feel safe, supported and able to participate fully in campus life.
“Our code of conduct is in place to maintain a respectful environment, and any concerns about safety and wellbeing are taken seriously. While we can't comment on individual cases, we have a responsibility to cooperate with the Police and assist in their investigations."
Police Scotland Chief Inspector Brian Manchester said the university was aware officers would be coming to carry out enquiries.
“Two community officers were escorted by campus security to the building,” he said.
“They spoke to a number of students to explain why we were there and provide advice as part of enquiries. Our community officers are well known on the campus and visit regularly to carry out engagement opportunities with the students and as part of patrols."
Main image: iStock/Aniruddha Chatterjee
Correction: We amended this story at 16.40 on 7/11/25 to remove a paragraph which stated the Israeli military falsely accused al-Sharif of being a Hamas operative, according to the International Committee to Protect Journalists, and that no evidence had been found to support the claim he was linked to Hamas.
We updated the article to state that evidence has been provided by Israel of Al-Sharif’s links to Hamas, though the credibility of this has been disputed by leading international media and organisations such as the Committee for the Protection of Journalists.
Hundreds of protected areas are under pressure from Scotland’s massive deer herd. Most agree deer numbers must be controlled to protect the environment, but are split on what should be done.
Unsafe levels of faecal bacteria were recorded at dozens of Scotland’s best beaches this summer. Swimmers and paddlers could be at risk, but officials insist water quality remains high.
Footage of farmed trout suffocating, haemorrhaging, and being beaten with batons in a slaughterhouse has prompted an official complaint to a government regulator.
The Ukrainian tech tycoon building Scotland’s first orbital rocket — and the offshore links raising transparency questions.
