“To Glasgow University management, we say divest now,” the student group comments.
In the morning of Friday, 20 March 2026, an “autonomous group” of students sprayed the south of University of Glasgow’s Gilbert Scott Building in red paint. The markings showcase paint splatters that cover two double doors, as well as the surrounding glass and the building’s Gothic revival stone architecture. This marks the second spray paint attempt on a university building this 2025-26 academic year, following the James McCune Smith Learning Hub in November 2025.
The Gilbert Scott is one of the University of Glasgow’s most historical landmarks of campus architecture. As of March 2026, the main building is 155 years old, with its opening on 7 November 1870. Nine months before, the same south entrance was graffitied by pro-Palestine activists, timed just before the University of Glasgow’s graduation date. The Palestine resistance emblem of the upside-down triangle and phrases ‘FREE PALESTINE’, ‘DIVEST’, and ‘DIVEST NOW!’ were sprayed onto the area.
Spray-painting has since become a symbol of resistance against the University’s divestment policies for students. The student group tells The Glasgow Guardian that the aim is escalation for the sake of exposure. “This action is a result of the almost £7 million Glasgow University invests in arms companies, including BAE Systems and Leonardo. And the over £60 million in arms research partnerships, including Thales. These companies manufacture the weapons used in the genocide of Palestine and assault on Iran,” the protest group states.
“The university has refused to take meaningful action towards divestment and ignored students’ overwhelming support for divestment”.
Such sentiment accompanies the results of the Glasgow University Students’ Representative Council (SRC) Referendum, held on 26-27 March 2025, ‘Should the University of Glasgow stop investing in companies that earn more than 10% of their revenue from the arms and defence industry?’. The SRC Referendum outcome resulted in an overwhelming 89.3% of students in favour of divestment. Whilst this compromise of divestment was supported by 8,668 students, students are still protesting for the absolute removal of the University’s complicity.
A University of Glasgow spokesperson told The Glasgow Guardian: “The University of Glasgow upholds the right to freedom of expression, including the right of staff and students to engage in peaceful demonstrations. However, we do not tolerate acts of vandalism to University property or activities which interfere with the rights of others to go about their business in peace.”
