On Sunday 20 November, a demonstration was held outside Teviot Row House in protest of Edinburgh University Students Association’s (EUSA’s) decision to show the controversial 2022 World Cup in its venues.
During the demonstration, protesters placed placards critical of EUSA’s decision to show the World Cup at the entrance to Teviot.
The placards read ‘Shame on EUSA’, ‘Listen to your members’, ‘Where are your morals’, ‘Human rights before profit’ and ‘Boycott the World Cup’.
Qatar’s human rights abuses, including persecution of LGBTQ+ people, women and migrants, as well as use of slave labour, have sparked widespread condemnation and calls for EUSA to boycott this years World Cup.
Sunday’s demonstration, which started at 3:30pm, was timed to coincide with the 2022 World Cup’s first match.
The demonstration was partially in response to the ‘final’ World Cup statement given by EUSA’s president Niamh Roberts on Friday, stating that the matches would be shown despite significant backlash.
It was organised by The 93% Club, a student society representing state school students at the University of Edinburgh.
Earlier this month, they organised an open letter, signed by over 50 societies and student groups, which called on EUSA to cancel plans to show the World Cup’s matches in Teviot.
EUSA’s Liberation Officers have also condemned the decision to show the matches.
A representative of the 93% Club at the demonstration told The Student that they were protesting EUSA “making money off corruption” and that “for as long as they continue to show it they will continue to profit off it”.
They also said: “[We] represent the voice of the students, and [EUSA] are not listening.”
Continuing, they commented on the replacement of the usual flag at the entrance of Teviot Row House with the LGBTQ+ flag, a move which they described as a “fake” show of support, due to Qatar’s persecution of LQBTQ+ people.
The 93% Club have also called for a wider financial boycott of EUSA outlets until the end of the year, with the aim of demonstrating the lack of student support for the controversial decision.
Although the protest was small in numbers and non-disruptive, numerous passers-by and people entering the building stopped to read the placards.
Image “teviot row house” by Jon Vrushi is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
