A heavy raid on Oxford students began

More than a dozen students have been arrested at Oxford University after police broke up a demonstration in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

Over the past two weeks, Oxford students have staged protests and encampments demanding the university end investment and cooperation with companies and institutions involved in Israel's war on Gaza and the occupation of Palestinian land.

According to Oxford Action for Palestine, students began a peaceful sit-in at the Wellington Square building on Thursday morning demanding that the university administration, which has yet to negotiate, meet with the protesters. The group's statement said that instead of opening a conversation, the university vice-chancellor put the building under lock and key and called the police.

"When notified of the threat of arrest, the students stood up and offered to vacate the premises voluntarily," Oxford Action for Palestine said in a statement. "As a result of the escalation of duty, all students were arrested and their phones were confiscated."

Activists say 16 students were detained and denied access to the restroom while they were in the building.

"It is clear that the administration would rather arrest, silence and physically abuse its students than confront Israel's support for the genocide in Gaza," the statement said.

Later on Thursday, Oxford University accused the students of using "direct action tactics" that required a police response.