Oxford and Cambridge students set up encampments in front of Britain's most prestigious universities in solidarity with Gaza and vow they 'will not move' until their demands are met

Oxbridge students have set up encampments in front of Britain's most prestigious universities in solidarity with Gaza - as campus protests continue to sweep across the UK. 

At around 8am on Bank Holiday Monday, students pitched tents and erected anti-Israel signs outside the Pitts Rivers museum in Oxford as they demanded an end to violence in Gaza and the release of hostages.

At the same time, Cambridge students armed with tents, gazebos and sleeping bags set up on the front lawn of King's College in protest against 'Israel's genocide of Palestinians in Gaza'.

The sit-in protests, which echo protests seen in the US, have sprang up at Russell Group universities including Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Sheffield and Newcastle over the last week.

At Oxford's camp, named the 'Liberated Zone', students pinned up a board of six demands including calls to boycott Israeli genocide, stop banking with Barclays and help rebuild Gaza's education system.

Cambridge for Palestine said it will 'not move' from the encampment until the university agrees to four demands including disclosing financial ties with complicit organisations and protecting students at risk.

The protests seek to emulate those seen at American universities in recent weeks, where more than 130 college campuses have been targeted by pro-Palestine supporters.

These have resulted in growing disorder and unrest, with more than 2,000 arrests.

As Gaza protests continue to grow in the UK, the government has expressed 'serious' concerns they could escalate to violence, as witnessed in the US. 

Just after 8am on Bank Holiday Monday, more than 50 protesters moved in on the front law of King's College in Cambridge, armed with tents, gazebos and sleeping bags.

At the same time, students in Oxford declared a 'liberated zone' outside the Pitt Rivers Museum, which organisers claim held 'a disturbing hoard of artefacts stolen from colonised peoples across the world'.

The encampments have been organised by groups Oxford Action for Palestine and Cambridge for Palestine, as well as several other smaller groups. 

In Oxford, footage from the encampment shows students chanting: 'We are the people. We will not be silenced.

'Stop the bombing now, now, now.'

A spokesperson at Oxford University told MailOnline there is 'no place for intolerance' and the protest must be carried out with 'respect, courtesy and empathy'.

They added: 'We respect our students and staff members right to freedom of expression in the form of peaceful protests.

'Oxford University's primary focus is the health and safety of the University community, and to ensure any impact on work, research and learning, including student exams, is minimised.

'The Natural History Museum and the Pitt Rivers Museum remain open.'

Cambridge students claim their institution is 'complicit in genocide' because of its 'financial and academic ties' to Israel.

It claimed: 'Cambridge University has over $46 million in defense industry partnerships, contributing to the manufacture of weapons that Israel has used to kill over 40,000 Palestinians, 40 per cent of whom are children, and to destroy every university in Gaza.'

A Cambridge University spokesperson said: 'The University is fully committed to academic freedom and freedom of speech within the law and we acknowledge the right to protest.

'We ask everyone in our community to treat each other with understanding and empathy. Our priority is the safety of all staff and students.

'We will not tolerate antisemitism, Islamophobia and any other form of racial or religious hatred, or other unlawful activity.'

Last week saw students at Russell Group universities including Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Sheffield and Newcastle, pitch tents and erect anti-Israel signs as they  called for an end to military action in the Gaza strip. 

Students from Manchester University filled nearby Brunswick Park with banners, plaques and Palestinian flags to call for the university to 'end it's partnership with systems which support Israel'.

One banner read: 'UOM blood on your hands', while another claimed: 'UOM supports Israeli Genocide.'

In Bristol, hand-painted banners were erected between tents, emblazoned with messages of defiance as students lobbied their university to cut ties with arms companies and back calls for a ceasefire.

In Newcastle, students were entertained by a Palestinian DJ and treated to regular food supplies, as well as being enticed by free drinks vouchers at the student union bar.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said police will 'have our full support' to tackle potential disorder if students attempt to replicate the violent demonstrations recently seen at US university campuses. 

The Jewish community leaders urged universities to shut down encampments over fears Jewish students may be 'harassed and excluded'. 

The spokesman for No 10 said: 'We have always been clear that Jewish students must feel safe on campuses and whilst our universities rightfully pride themselves on their openness and tolerance and diversity it is obviously absolutely clear that any antisemitism shouldn't be tolerated.

'We've always been clear that people have a right to peaceful and lawful protest but clearly people shouldn't abuse that right to intimidate others, cause unnecessary disruption.

'Obviously the police already have extensive public order powers to tackle disorder at protests and will continue to have our full support in doing so if needed.'