155-555: The Sheldonian Theatre , in the centre of Oxford , England, was built from 1664 to 1669 after a design by Christopher Wren for the University of Oxford . The building is named after Gilbert Sheldon , Warden of All Souls College and later chancellor of the University. Sheldon was the project's main financial backer. The theatre is used for music concerts, lectures and University ceremonies, but not for drama until 2015 when
310-487: A parliamentary motion calling for a ceasefire, saying in an official release, "It's time to call a spade a spade . To any neutral observer, war crimes are being committed by Israel in Gaza." No Conservative MPs voted for the motion and Labour said its MPs should abstain and, instead, vote on Labour's own motion calling for "humanitarian pauses" to the fighting. However, a number of its MPs, including frontbenchers , defied
465-730: A "free Palestine [and an] end [to] Israeli occupation"; for countries to "stop arming Israel"; and an end of the "genocide" of Palestinians. Chants of " From the river to the sea , Palestine will be free" have been heard at a number of pro-Palestinian marches. The Anti-Defamation League considers it to be an antisemitic slogan which "has the effect of making members of the Jewish and pro-Israel community feel unsafe and ostracized." Palestinian scholars have denied this, suggesting such claims aim to "mischaracterize and destroy inclusive and unifying rhetorical frameworks", stifle pro-Palestinian protest, and are inherently Islamophobic and racist. They say
620-620: A "humanitarian pause does not go far enough. Only a ceasefire can put an end to the killing of civilians, ensure hostages are freed and allow enough aid to meet the huge humanitarian need". After Palestinian Christians had written to Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby expressing concern about the Anglican leaders' "support for the UK's stance on the Israel-Hamas war", Welby join calls for
775-565: A 500 meter red ribbon through Brighton , representing the red line that Israel had crossed. The British public petitioned politicians and institutions over various issues related to the crisis in Israel and Palestine. For instance, hundreds of people living, working or studying in Bristol petitioned Bristol City Council to call for a ceasefire and to light the City Hall in the colours of
930-534: A Global Food Security Summit was being held, attended by the prime minister Rishi Sunak, Minister of State for Development and Africa Andrew Mitchell and newly appointed foreign secretary David Cameron . Protestors held signs saying, "Feed Gaza, Ceasefire Now", highlighting the food and water insecurity experienced by people in Gaza due to Israel's siege and bombardment. Save the Children and Islamic Relief, who had teams in Israel and Palestine, called for
1085-497: A Palestinian flag or saying certain chants – like "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" — may be a criminal offence. Labour suspended MP Andy McDonald for using the phrase "from the river to the sea". Michelle Donelan — who in her role as Minister of State for Higher and Further Education had introduced the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 , saying, " academic freedom in these institutions
1240-529: A broader movement of war-related protests occurring around the world. In the following weeks during Israel's counterattacks on Gaza , a number of pro- Palestine vigils , rallies and marches were held throughout the UK. On 9 October, the Stop the War Coalition and Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) attended a demonstration in which hundreds marched through London's Kensington High Street and outside
1395-581: A ceasefire and stop arms sales to Israel. Signatories included Geoffrey Bindman KC, a solicitor specialising in human rights law , Andrew Hall KC, former chair of the Criminal Bar Association, and Theodore Huckle KC, former Counsel General for Wales , along with partners and directors of law firms and professors of law . In November 2024, an Israeli academic, Haim Bresheeth, was arrested in London for alleged hate speech after giving
1550-450: A ceasefire because people in the region, including their staff, were terrified, and so that aid could be provided. Amnesty International said the government's and Labour's refusal to condemn Israel diminished the gravity of the war crimes committed by the state. The charity called on British politicians to "explicitly oppose all war crimes" committed by Palestinians and Israel. The Refugee Council , Safe Passage International, Doctors of
1705-774: A ceasefire in Palestine. At the Luton Sixth Form College , the student council was suspended for staging a walk-out . Protesters removed the Israeli flag from the roof of Sheffield Town Hall and raised the Palestinian flag; South Yorkshire Police later said this incident was a racially aggravated public order offence and a hate crime . Protesters demonstrated at the Science Museum . On 26 November 2023, between 50,000-60,000 people joined in
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#17327653126041860-567: A ceasefire while in the position. Labour MP Apsana Begum visited a Palestine Solidarity Campaign stall, posing for a picture, at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. The leaders of Greater Manchester 's 10 metropolitan district councils (all but one of which were led by Labour), the mayor of Greater Manchester , Andy Burnham , and Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester for Policing and Crime Kate Green , released
2015-425: A ceasefire, and dozens resigned from the party because they could not in conscience retain membership due to its position. Conservative MP Paul Bristow wrote to then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak asking him to call for a ceasefire – an act for which his party sacked him from his government role as ministerial aide. Labour MP Imran Hussain resigned from his shadow minister role because he could not advocate for
2170-470: A ceasefire, saying "the suffering of innocent Palestinians cries out as a great wrong and, as I have said before: the evils of Hamas cannot be paid by the civilians of Gaza". Members of Pax Christi , a Catholic peace movement , joined the Armistice Day march in London. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales issue a statement calling on the UK government to increase efforts for
2325-474: A century the University Press stored its books ... and for many years it was the largest unsupported floor in existence ... In 1720, surveyors inspecting the roof, following a rumour that it was no longer safe, were both surprised and impressed at what they discovered. Though sagging slightly from the massive weight of books, the inspectors pronounced that "... the whole Fabrick of
2480-471: A collective of local campaigners and parents. Students, faculty and alumni of the University of Oxford petitioned the university to endorse a ceasefire. The petition garnered nearly 2,000 signatures. Students and staff at the University of Cambridge wrote an open letter to the university, with more than 1,400 signatories, demanding it acknowledge the "slaughter of innocent Palestinians", "sever financial ties with Israel" as it had with Russia following
2635-483: A combined capacity of 1,695 seats. Hybrid buses began to be used in Oxford in 2010, and their usage has been expanded. In 2014 Oxford Bus introduced a fleet of 20 new buses with flywheel energy storage on the services it operates under contract for Oxford Brookes University . Most buses in the city now use a smartcard to pay for journeys and have free WiFi installed. The Oxford to London coach route offers
2790-521: A court order on 14 June). On May 10, encampments were set up at Durham University (voluntarily disbanded June 21) and the University of Nottingham . On May 13, protesters set up an encampment at the University of Sussex 's Library Square, and students held a rally followed by the establishment of an encampment at Queen Mary University of London . The next day, hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters began occupying Marshall Hall at London School of Economics . The organizers came to an agreement with
2945-640: A frequent coach service to London. The Oxford Tube is operated by Stagecoach West and the Oxford Bus Company runs the Airline services to Heathrow and Gatwick airports. There is a bus station at Gloucester Green , used mainly by the London and airport buses, National Express coaches and other long-distance buses including route X5 to Milton Keynes and Bedford and Stagecoach Gold route S6. Among cities in England and Wales, Oxford has
3100-511: A human right, with RCN Chief Nurse Professor Nicola Ranger adding, "Under the Geneva Conventions the killing of civilians is prohibited and the sick and wounded must be cared for. Nursing staff must be able to work without fear of violence". The NASUWT joined calls for a ceasefire and a "just peace in Israel and Palestine, an end to the military occupation of Palestinian territory , and respect for all Palestinian rights including
3255-454: A humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and the immediate release of all hostages ; and Church of England 's House of Bishops called for "immediate humanitarian pauses" while "holding out hope for a ceasefire in the longer term", adding that "all parties to this conflict" should "adhere to international humanitarian law and ... take all necessary steps to minimise harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure". Similarly to England's House of Bishops,
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#17327653126043410-541: A joint one between the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University . On May 3, protesters set up an encampment at University College, London. Protesters also occupied the library at Goldsmiths, University of London. Goldsmiths agreed to the protester's demands, naming a building after Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh , review the University's policy regarding the IHRA working definition of antisemitism , and to erect an installation on campus memorializing
3565-472: A letter, dated 17 October, to the Financial Times expressing "significant concerns" over Israel's conduct in Gaza, noting that "[i]t would be a grave violation of international law to hold them [that is, the two million residents of Gaza] under siege and whilst doing so deprive them of basic necessities such as food and water", that "collective punishment is prohibited by the laws of war", and that it
3720-594: A march in London to protest against a rise in hate crimes against Jews since the attack by Hamas terrorists on Israel on 7 October. On 14 January 2024, approximately 25,000 people attended a rally in support of Israel in Trafalgar Square , calling for the release of the hostages held by Hamas. In September 2024, large crowds of protesters at the Labour conference in Liverpool called for a total arms embargo on Israel. On September 21, 2024, protesters carried
3875-546: A mistake. In November 2022, Mogford announced that his hospitality group The Oxford Collection had joined up with Oxford Business Action Group (OBAG), Oxford High Street Association (OHSA), ROX (Backing Oxford Business), Reconnecting Oxford, Jericho Traders, and Summertown traders to launch a legal challenge to the new bus gates. The city is served by the M40 motorway , which connects London to Birmingham . The M40 approached Oxford in 1974, leading from London to Waterstock , where
4030-454: A modern-day feminist, I don’t think so." In January 2024, the speech of Labour's Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy was interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters. In March 2024, a group of women protesting outside parliament shaved their heads in solidarity with the women of Gaza. Amnesty International put up mock signs reading "Genocide Avenue" on the street outside the Israeli embassy in London. In April 2024, protestors rallied outside
4185-494: A new company, Morrells of Oxford. The new owners sold most of the pubs on to Greene King in 2002. The Lion Brewery was converted into luxury apartments in 2002. Oxford's first legal distillery , the Oxford Artisan Distillery , was established in 2017 in historic farm buildings at the top of South Park . The Taylor family of Loughborough had a bell-foundry in Oxford between 1786 and 1854. This
4340-568: A new research annexe; its staff have been involved with the teaching of anthropology at Oxford since its foundation, when as part of his donation General Augustus Pitt Rivers stipulated that the university establish a lectureship in anthropology. Israel%E2%80%93Hamas war protests in the United Kingdom As a result of the Israel–Hamas war , nationwide protests occurred across the UK. These demonstrations occurred as part of
4495-412: A pristine Stradivarius violin, regarded by some as one of the finest examples in existence. The University Museum of Natural History holds the university's zoological , entomological and geological specimens. It is housed in a large neo-Gothic building on Parks Road , in the university's Science Area . Among its collection are the skeletons of a Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops , and
4650-541: A protest was held in front of the US consulate . Sit-ins were held at train stations, such as London King's Cross , London Waterloo , Liverpool Lime Street , Manchester Piccadilly , Edinburgh Waverley , Glasgow Central and Bristol Temple Meads . In Bristol, school children demonstrated through a series of school strikes and, in east London , high school students boycotted an assembly attended by Labour MP Wes Streeting over his party's refusal to call for
4805-539: A rally was held by students of University College London (UCL) on campus, though they had been campaigning for months. UCL Action for Palestine won a meeting with senior members of university's management, also on 26 April, to discuss divestment and propose aiding Palestinian students whose universities had been destroyed. After a campaign from students, the University of York announced on 27 April it "no longer holds investments in companies that primarily make or sell weapons and defence-related products or services". In
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4960-594: A speech at a pro-Palestinian rally. British charities and NGOs join in calls for a ceasefire and for humanitarian aid to be provided in Palestine. Ahead of the Global Food Security Summit in London, the heads of 12 charities wrote to the Prime Minister, urging him to use his opening remarks at the summbit to "call for an immediate ceasefire, condemn Israel's ongoing siege and insist that food, fuel, water and other aid vital for survival
5115-415: A statement calling for a ceasefire. MP Andy McDonald spoke at a pro-Palestine rally; following the rally, Labour fired him because he had said " from the river to the sea ". Under pressure from party members to back a ceasefire, Starmer adapted the official Labour position to one critical of Israeli military bombardment but falling short of calling for a ceasefire. The Scottish National Party tabled
5270-663: A statement, published on the Third World Approaches to International Law Review website, stating they felt "compelled to sound the alarm about the possibility of the crime of genocide being perpetrated by Israeli forces against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip". Later that month hundreds of lawyers signed an open letter, dated 26 October 2023, to the British government expressing concern over breaches of international law by Israel, calling for it to press for
5425-463: A third route, also to Paddington, running via Thame , High Wycombe and Maidenhead , was provided; this was shortened in 1906 by the opening of a direct route between High Wycombe and London Paddington by way of Denham . The distance from Oxford to London was 78 miles (125.5 km) via Bletchley; 63.5 miles (102.2 km) via Didcot and Reading; 63.25 miles (101.8 km) via Thame and Maidenhead; and 55.75 miles (89.7 km) via Denham. Only
5580-500: Is 2014, with an average of 11.8 °C (53 °F) and the coldest is 1879, with a mean temperature of 7.7 °C (46 °F). The sunniest month on record is May 2020, with 331.7 hours and December 1890 is the least sunny, with 5.0 hours. The greatest one-day rainfall occurred on 10 July 1968, with a total of 87.9 mm (3.46 in). The greatest known snow depth was 61.0 cm (24.0 in) in February 1888. The city centre
5735-477: Is a small selection of the many notable buildings in Oxford. Oxford is a very green city, with several parks and nature walks within the ring road , as well as several sites just outside the ring road. In total, 28 nature reserves exist within or just outside the ring road, including: In addition to the larger airports in the region, Oxford is served by nearby Oxford Airport , in Kidlington . The airport
5890-544: Is allowed into Gaza with immediate effect". The charities included Oxfam , War Child , Christian Aid , Medical Aid for Palestinians , Islamic Relief , CAFOD , Council for Arab-British Understanding , Humanity & Inclusion , Plan International and Action Against Hunger . Medical Aid for Palestinians organised a protest outside the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in Lancaster House , where
6045-706: Is also home to CAE Oxford Aviation Academy and Airways Aviation airline pilot flight training centres, and several private jet companies. The airport is also home to Airbus Helicopters UK headquarters. Direct trains run from Oxford station to London Paddington where there is an interchange with the Heathrow Express train links serving Heathrow Airport . Passengers can change at Reading for connecting trains to Gatwick Airport . Some CrossCountry trains run direct services to Birmingham International , as well as to Southampton Airport Parkway further afield. Bus services in Oxford and its suburbs are run by
6200-473: Is being undermined in a way that endangers our entire democracy ... we find academics self-censoring themselves out of fear" — wrote a letter to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to express her "disgust and outrage" at the appointment of two academics to the non-departmental public body 's equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) advisory group, one of whom had "condemn[ed] violence on both sides but make reference to Israel's 'genocide and apartheid'". Following
6355-466: Is just outside the city, at the park and ride site near Kidlington . The present railway station opened in 1852. Oxford is the junction for a short branch line to Bicester , a remnant of the former Varsity line to Cambridge . This Oxford–Bicester line was upgraded to 100 mph (161 km/h) running during an 18-month closure in 2014/2015 – and is scheduled to be extended to form the planned East West Rail line to Milton Keynes. East West Rail
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6510-553: Is now strongly discouraged, and largely prevented, from using the city centre. The Oxford Ring Road or A4142 (southern part) surrounds the city centre and close suburbs Marston , Iffley , Cowley and Headington ; it consists of the A34 to the west, a 330-yard section of the A44 , the A40 north and north-east, A4142/ A423 to the east. It is a dual carriageway , except for a 330-yard section of
6665-508: Is proposed to continue through Bletchley (for Milton Keynes Central ) to Bedford , Cambridge, and ultimately Ipswich and Norwich , thus providing alternative route to East Anglia without needing to travel via, and connect between, the London mainline terminals. Chiltern Railways operates from Oxford to London Marylebone via Bicester Village , having sponsored the building of about 400 metres of new track between Bicester Village and
6820-519: Is relatively small and is centred on Carfax , a crossroads which forms the junction of Cornmarket Street (pedestrianised), Queen Street (mainly pedestrianised ), St Aldate's and the High Street ("the High"; blocked for through traffic). Cornmarket Street and Queen Street are home to Oxford's chain stores, as well as a small number of independent retailers, one of the longest established of which
6975-1093: The Castle Mill Stream . The rapid expansion of Oxford and the development of its railway links after the 1840s facilitated expansion of the brewing trade. As well as expanding the market for Oxford's brewers, railways enabled brewers further from the city to compete for a share of its market. By 1874 there were nine breweries in Oxford and 13 brewers' agents in Oxford shipping beer in from elsewhere. The nine breweries were: Flowers & Co in Cowley Road , Hall's St Giles Brewery, Hall's Swan Brewery (see below), Hanley's City Brewery in Queen Street , Le Mills's Brewery in St. Ebbes , Morrell's Lion Brewery in St Thomas Street (see below), Simonds's Brewery in Queen Street, Weaving's Eagle Brewery (by 1869
7130-557: The Chiltern Main Line southwards in 2014. The route serves High Wycombe and London Marylebone, avoiding London Paddington and Didcot Parkway . In 1844, the Great Western Railway linked Oxford with London Paddington via Didcot and Reading ; in 1851, the London & North Western Railway opened its own route from Oxford to London Euston , via Bicester , Bletchley and Watford ; and in 1864
7285-664: The Christ Church Dramatic Society staged a production of The Crucible by Arthur Miller . What came to be known as the Sheldonian Theatre was Wren's second work and was commissioned by Gilbert Sheldon, Archbishop of Canterbury. With the triumph of the Restoration and with it the Church of England , Dean Fell , Vice-Chancellor of the University, sought to revive a project proposed in
7440-531: The English-speaking world ; it has buildings in every style of English architecture since late Anglo-Saxon . Oxford's industries include motor manufacturing, education, publishing, science, and information technologies. The history of Oxford in England dates back to its original settlement in the Saxon period . Originally of strategic significance due to its controlling location on the upper reaches of
7595-565: The Israeli government 's orders and actions – including the withholding of utilities from Gaza – could only lead to ethnic cleansing . The GMB said "[i]nnocent civilians must never be punished for the actions of terrorist groups" and repeated its "support for an independent Palestinian state" within a " two-state solution ". The Royal College of Nursing (RNC) condemned "abhorrent, inhumane atrocities committed against civilians and ... health care workers" in Israel and Gaza and called health care
7750-691: The Latitude Festival in Suffolk , also in protests to the event's partnership with Barclays. The official position of both the UK's main political parties, the Conservatives and Labour, were supportive of Israel. Labour leader Keir Starmer supported Israel cutting off Gaza's water and power supply. Labour issued a warning to its MPs and council leaders that their politicians should not attend pro-Palestine rallies. Hundreds of Labour councillors wrote to Starmer urging him to call for
7905-701: The Open Rights Group , expressed concerns that the government, and Braverman in particular, were eroding free speech , seeing it as continuation of other governmental moves to control speech, such as the proposed Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill , which would ban councils from joining in Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions initiatives. Following a speech by then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak calling pro-Palestinian protesters "violent extremists" whose visas would be revoked, Amnesty International called his comments "deeply worrying" that
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#17327653126048060-493: The Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach West as well as other operators including Arriva Shires & Essex and Thames Travel . Oxford has one of the largest urban park and ride networks in the United Kingdom. Its five sites, at Pear Tree, Redbridge , Seacourt , Thornhill, Water Eaton and Oxford Parkway have a combined capacity of 4,930 car parking spaces, served by 20 Oxford Bus Company double decker buses with
8215-461: The Oxford Star (tabloid; free and delivered), and Oxford Journal (tabloid; weekly free pick-up). Oxford is also home to several advertising agencies . Daily Information (known locally as "Daily Info") is an event information and advertising news sheet which has been published since 1964 and now provides a connected website. Nightshift is a monthly local free magazine that has covered
8370-820: The Oxford Union which was hosting Nancy Pelosi ; Pelosi's speech was reportedly drowned out by the sound of the protestors before being disrupted by two members of the audience with Palestinian flags who were later removed by police. Within the first few weeks of the crisis, three separate open letters calling for a ceasefire were signed by British cultural figures – artists, authors, historians, actors, directors, musicians, and so on, such as Tilda Swinton , Charles Dance , Nihal Arthanayake , Felix Weatherall , Alex Sushon , Michael Winterbottom , Josie Long , Mike Leigh , Asif Kapadia , Anthony Anaxagorou , Steve Coogan , Reni Eddo-Lodge , Gary Younge , Sally Rooney — along with their international counterparts. One of
8525-602: The Palestinian flag to express sympathy for Palestinians who had been killed or injured by Israel, as it had lit the building in blue and white for Israel following Hamas' initial attack . Also in Bristol, a petition handed to Carla Denyer , councillor for Cliffton Down and co-leader of the Green Party , called for a ceasefire . Many of the signatories were children who had participated in protests outside Bristol City Hall, organised by School Strike for Palestine,
8680-540: The Red Cross . The Trade Union Congress (TUC) said the "killing of Israeli civilians by Hamas and the collective punishment of the people of Gaza by the Israeli government will do nothing to end the occupation or bring about peace". Further, the TUC spoke against the Israeli government's order for Palestinians to leave northern Gaza, saying it "risks a humanitarian disaster". Equity echoed both these sentiments, adding that
8835-654: The River Thames at its confluence with the River Cherwell , the town grew in national importance during the early Norman period , and in the late 12th century became home to the fledgling University of Oxford . The city was besieged during The Anarchy in 1142. During the Middle Ages Oxford had an important Jewish community, of which David of Oxford and his wife Licoricia of Winchester were prominent members. The university rose to dominate
8990-629: The Royal Exchange Theatre had censored pro-Palestinian and pro-trans sentiments when it cancelled Stef O'Driscoll's production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream . In the weeks following Hamas' attack against Israel on 8 October 2023, rates of antisemitic hate incidents more than quadrupled across the UK, and by more than 1,350% in London, leading to British police forces deploying hundreds more police officers to protect Jewish communities. People supporting Palestine faced allegations of antisemitism during their protests, while there
9145-403: The University of Edinburgh . On May 7, protesters at Queen's University Belfast staged a sit-in in support of Palestine. Among other demands, protesters called for Hillary Clinton to be removed as the university's chancellor . Later in the year on November 14, four protesters were arrested at Queen's University and Clinton, who was speaking, was evacuated. On May 8, Abercromby Square at
9300-529: The Westgate Oxford . The Westgate Centre is named for the original West Gate in the city wall, and is at the west end of Queen Street . A major redevelopment and expansion to 750,000 sq ft (70,000 m ), with a new 230,000 sq ft (21,000 m ) John Lewis department store and a number of new homes, was completed in October 2017. Blackwell's Bookshop is a bookshop which claims
9455-401: The embassy of Israel . The largest demonstrations were held in London, with people from across the country in attendance: thousands marched on 15 October 2023, 100,000 on 21 October, 70,000 on 28 October, 30,000 on 4 November and 300,000 on 11 November. The 11 November march was one of the largest in the UK in years, with some estimating it was the largest since the 2003 protest against
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#17327653126049610-399: The siege of Gaza and to pressure their governments to cease military trade with Israel". As of February and March, similar protests and calls for divestment had already been occurring at Goldsmiths, University of London , the University of Leeds , and the University of Bristol . On April 22, students from the University of Leicester Palestine Society held a protest. On April 26,
9765-685: The "Exeter Liberation Encampment for Palestine" on the Streatham campus. The latter follows the setting up of the "FalExe Solidarity Encampent" jointly by students of Exeter and Falmouth University on the Penryn Campus . On May 15, an encampment was set up in front of Heslington Hall at the University of York. On May 20, an encampment was set up at the University of Reading . On May 23, sixteen protesters were arrested at Cambridge University for aggravated trespass , as well as one arrest on suspicion of common assault , after an occupation of
9920-521: The 12th January 1954. The theatre features prominently in Max Beerbohm 's 1911 novel Zuleika Dobson and was used as stand in for Harvard in the 1980 film Heaven's Gate . Oxford Oxford ( / ˈ ɒ k s f ər d / ) is a cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire , England, of which it is the county town. Founded in the 8th century, it
10075-585: The 1630s by the late William Laud , Archbishop of Canterbury : a separate building whose sole use would be graduation and degree ceremonies. In the past these increasingly rowdy occasions had taken place in the University Church of St Mary the Virgin , in the High Street. "The notion that 'sacrifice is made equally to God and Apollo ', in the same place where homage was due to God and God alone,
10230-815: The 1970s and 1980s, leaving behind a city which had developed far beyond the university town of the past. Oxford's latitude and longitude are 51°45′07″N 1°15′28″W / 51.75194°N 1.25778°W / 51.75194; -1.25778 , with Ordnance Survey grid reference SP513061 (at Carfax Tower , which is usually considered the centre). Oxford is 24 miles (39 km) north-west of Reading , 26 miles (42 km) north-east of Swindon , 36 miles (58 km) east of Cheltenham , 43 miles (69 km) east of Gloucester , 29 miles (47 km) south-west of Milton Keynes , 38 miles (61 km) south-east of Evesham , 43 miles (69 km) south of Rugby and 51 miles (82 km) west-north-west of London . The rivers Cherwell and Thames (also sometimes known as
10385-597: The A40 continued to Oxford. When the M40 extension to Birmingham was completed in January 1991, it curved sharply north, and a mile of the old motorway became a spur. The M40 comes no closer than 6 miles (10 km) away from the city centre, curving to pass to the east of Otmoor . The M40 meets the A34 to the north of Oxford. There are two universities in Oxford, the University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes University , as well as
10540-421: The A40 where two residential service roads adjoin, and was completed in 1966. The main roads to/from Oxford are: On 28 February 2022 a zero-emission pilot area became operational in Oxford city centre. Zero-emission vehicles can be used without incurring a charge but all petrol and diesel vehicles (including hybrids) incur a daily charge if they are driven in the zone between 7am and 7pm. A consultation on
10695-617: The Children UK, WaterAid UK and Tearfund , released a statement urging the British government to secure a ceasefire. Amnesty International held a protest outside 10 Downing Street in solidarity with Palestinians in Rafah ahead of Israel's expected Rafah offensive . Following the start of Israel's Rafah offensive , Oxfam called on the U.K. to cease arms transfers to Israel, stating, "The UK government will be complicit in this carnage as long as it continues to sell arms to Israel, in
10850-466: The D-shaped Theatre of Marcellus erected in Rome in the first century BC. Like any Mediterranean theatre of that time, the Theatre of Marcellus had no roof: the audience relied on a temporary awning for inclement weather. But 17th century Oxford was not ancient Rome, and the Theatre needed a permanent roof. The span of the D-shaped roof was over 70 feet (21 m). However, no timbers existed that were long enough to cross that distance, and Wren dismissed
11005-464: The Eagle Steam Brewery) in Park End Street and Wootten and Cole's St. Clement's Brewery. The Swan's Nest Brewery, later the Swan Brewery, was established by the early 18th century in Paradise Street , and in 1795 was acquired by William Hall. The brewery became known as Hall's Oxford Brewery, which acquired other local breweries. Hall's Brewery was acquired by Samuel Allsopp & Sons in 1926, after which it ceased brewing in Oxford. Morrell's
11160-606: The Isis locally, supposedly from the Latinised name Thamesis ) run through Oxford and meet south of the city centre. These rivers and their flood plains constrain the size of the city centre. Oxford has a maritime temperate climate ( Köppen : Cfb ). Precipitation is uniformly distributed throughout the year and is provided mostly by weather systems that arrive from the Atlantic . The lowest temperature ever recorded in Oxford
11315-466: The Oxford music scene since 1991. Oxford is home to many museums , galleries , and collections, most of which are free of admission charges and are major tourist attractions . The majority are departments of the University of Oxford . The first of these to be established was the Ashmolean Museum , the world's first university museum , and the oldest museum in the UK. Its first building
11470-413: The UK and stoking far-right violence on Armistice Day. Humza Yousaf , Scotland's first minister , said she had emboldened the far-right and had "fann[ed] the flames of division". On 13 November, then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak sacked Braverman as home secretary amid a cabinet reshuffle . As well as calling pro-Palestinian demonstrations "hate marches", Braverman wrote to police forces saying waving
11625-517: The UK between 7 October 2023 and 30 September 2024, which is the highest recorded in 14 years and an increase of 800–1,000% since 2012. Several Muslim experts have accused politicians of not doing enough to challenge Islamophobia in the UK. Iman Atta, the director of Tell MAMA, said many politicians "do not even speak about it". According to British journalists Peter Oborne and Imran Mulla, "Britain has experienced an epidemic of almost unchallenged anti-Palestinian racism and anti-Muslim bigotry" since
11780-500: The UK were blockaded by protesters opposing military action in the Gaza Strip. Protests also targeted companies other than arms manufacturers viewed as supporting Israel. Calls were made to boycott brands such as Starbucks , McDonald's and Puma . Campaigners in Derry persuaded the city's Home Bargains store to remove from its shelves products manufactured in Israel , and persuaded O'Neills to remove Puma products because of
11935-809: The United Kingdom, after the British Library . The Bodleian Library is a legal deposit library, which means that it is entitled to request a free copy of every book published in the United Kingdom. As such, its collection is growing at a rate of over three miles (five kilometres) of shelving every year. As well as the BBC national radio stations , Oxford and the surrounding area has several local stations, including BBC Radio Oxford , Heart South , Destiny 105 , Greatest Hits Radio and Hits Radio Oxfordshire , along with Oxide: Oxford Student Radio (which went on terrestrial radio at 87.7 MHz FM in late May 2005). A local TV station , Six TV : The Oxford Channel,
12090-507: The University (such as graduation and matriculation ). Handel conducted the first performance of his third oratorio Athalia here in 1733. Today, the theatre is home to regular performances by local groups, including the Oxford Philomusica and Stornoway . The latter was the first pop band to play in the space, joined by the student-led Oxford Millennium Orchestra for its first single launch in 2009, then again to celebrate
12245-544: The University of Liverpool was occupied and unofficially renamed after the murdered Gazan poet Refaat Alareer . An encampment was set up at Bangor University on the same day. On May 9, protesters set up encampments at Lancaster University and at the Green Heart at the University of Birmingham , with a second encampment at Birmingham being established shortly afterwards at the Chancellor's Court (closed following
12400-606: The World warned against the possibility of the genocide of Palestinians, as did IWGB , which "condemn[ed] the violence that has been enabled and encouraged by Western governments, including the UK government". Some trade union statements, such as IWGB's and the GFTU's, expressly referenced and supported Palestinian trade unions ' calls for (in the GFTU's words) the "trade union movement worldwide to refuse to build or transport weapons to Israel, to take action against companies complicit in
12555-573: The World , the Helen Bamber Foundation , City of Sanctuary and other NGOs raised concerns about the crisis, particularly for Palestinian refugees , and drew up a plan for the resettlement of Palestinian and Israeli refugees modelled on the government's initiative for Ukrainians following Russia's invasion of Ukraine . Financial Secretary to the Treasury Victoria Atkins said a Palestinian refugee scheme
12710-528: The area is often used by film and TV crews. Aside from the city centre, there are several suburbs and neighbourhoods within the borders of the city of Oxford, including: Oxford is at the centre of the Oxford Green Belt , which is an environmental and planning policy that regulates the rural space in Oxfordshire surrounding the city, aiming to prevent urban sprawl and minimize convergence with nearby settlements. The policy has been blamed for
12865-423: The army of Muhammad will return". There was particular controversy around the 11 November 2023 march in London because it coincided with Armistice Day , with then-Home Secretary Suella Braverman saying the march should be banned out of respect to Armistice Day events. Protesters and commentators, like military veteran Nadia Mitchell and British Army deserter Joe Glenton , said Armistice Day, which remembers
13020-449: The arts venue HOME cancelled Voices of Resilience: A Celebration of Gazan Writing , an event organised by Comma Press , nearly 100 artists withdrew their work from exhibition at the venue. Over 300 artists and arts professionals, including Phil Collins and Maxine Peake , signed an open letter asking HOME to allow the event to continue and to "repair its commitment to anti-racism , including anti-Palestinian racism". The venue reinstated
13175-655: The bishops of the Church in Wales called for "a pause in the attacks" for aid to be delivered and, condemning Hamas's attacks, also urged Israel to recognise that "peace in the Middle East cannot be established on the foundations of retribution, violence, and innocent suffering, however provoked". Since the start of the Israel–Hamas war, Islamophobic hate crimes increased by 140% in London . Hate monitoring group Tell MAMA recorded 4,971 incidents of anti-Muslim hate across
13330-531: The ceasefire called to end World War I , was a suitable day to call for another ceasefire. Days prior to the march, Braverman had accused the Metropolitan Police , London's police force, of being too lenient on pro-Palestinian demonstrators. During the day, far-right counter-protesters gathered at the Cenotaph , with some referencing Braverman's words as their reason for attending. Some of
13485-522: The chant is a call for equal rights for all peoples in the region. British NGO Campaign Against Antisemitism has claimed that placards seen at pro-Palestine protests contain "slogans and imagery that would not have looked out of place in Nazi Germany ." They claim chants of " Khaybar, Khaybar, ya yahud , jaish al Mohammed sauf yaud" were heard at marches, antisemitic call referencing an ancient massacre and translated as, "Khaybar, Khaybar, oh Jews,
13640-795: The city of Oxford was a county borough , independent from the county council. Oxford City Council meets at the Town Hall on the street called St Aldate's in the city centre. The current building was completed in 1897, on a site which had been occupied by Oxford's guildhall since the 13th century. Most of Oxford is an unparished area , but there are four civil parishes within the city's boundaries: Blackbird Leys , Littlemore , Old Marston , and Risinghurst and Sandhills . Oxford's economy includes manufacturing, publishing and science-based industries as well as education, sports, entertainment, breweries, research and tourism. Oxford has been an important centre of motor manufacturing since Morris Motors
13795-573: The conflict and the actions of the franchise were taken without involvement, consent or approval of the corporation. Also in Keighley, a Starbucks was targeted, with protesters smashing the shop's windows, following the corporation's decision to sue the Starbuck Workers United union after the labour organisation posted on social media support for Palestine. Students organised protests directed at their universities, often demanding
13950-585: The counter-protesters were with the English Defence League and, earlier in the day, Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, otherwise known as Tommy Robinson , was seen leading far-right counter-protesters around Chinatown . Far-right counter-protesters fought with police while the march itself passed peacefully. A number of politicians, including Keir Starmer, and a number of leading newspapers, said Braverman should resign or be removed from her cabinet position for increasing tension and division within
14105-445: The early morning of April 26, students from the University of Warwick occupied the campus piazza; the encampment later moved to outside Warwick's Senate House before disbanding voluntarily on June 26. On May 1, encampments were established at the University of Bristol , the University of Leeds (closed by June 19 under threat of legal action), the University of Manchester (closed June 17), and Newcastle University , as well as
14260-557: The entire £14,470 (£2,796,440 today) himself, in an age where a mid-level craftsman's wage was typically between £2 and £4 per year. Wren's initial designs for the Sheldonian probably included a proscenium stage that did not survive his revisions. The building that was constructed was a sharp, unmistakable break from the Gothic past. According to Wren's son, Wren designed the Sheldonian based on Serlio 's sixteenth-century engraving of
14415-626: The entrance to an Elbit Systems factory in the Aztec West business park in Bristol; on 10 November, trade unionists in Rochester , Kent, again blocked the entrances to an arms factory – this time, BAE Systems — stating the facility manufactured military aircraft components used to bomb Gaza; and on 16 November, Palestine Action occupied a Leonardo factory in Southampton , stopping production. On 7 December, four arms factories across
14570-728: The event as a result of these protests. In July 2024, over 750 artists signed an open letter by Artists for Palestine UK, after the Royal Academy of Arts removed two artworks, including a photograph of a Jewish protestor holding a placard in support of Palestine, from its Young Artists’ Summer Show. The open letter said the Royal Academy had supported "the erasure of [the] Jewish contribution to solidarity with Palestinians". In another letter in September 2024, over 270 artists signed an open letter by Artists for Palestine alleging
14725-503: The event's sponsor Barclays and its investments in companies supplying arms that were reportedly used by Israeli military forces in their invasion of the Gaza Strip . English group Massive Attack , who had previously boycotted gigs in Israel in opposition to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict , expressed their support to the artists and bands who walked out of the festival. The following month, several artists gave up their sets at
14880-532: The government asking the prime minister to call for a ceasefire. The letter, organised by the British Islamic Medical Association , also urged the prime minister to "take the lead" on facilitating a peaceful solution to the crisis. To commemorate the nearly 200 health care workers killed by Israel's bombardment of Gaza, health care workers gathered outside Downing Street to demand a ceasefire. The health care workers held signs with
15035-613: The institutions sever financial and research ties with companies that sold weapon technology to Israel. A protest in Cambridge with an attendance of over a thousand students and residents – the city's largest demonstration – called on the University of Cambridge to divest from Israel. Students also wrote to the university demanding it investigate its financial ties with arms manufacturers that potentially supplied to Israel, mentioning, among others, Plasan and Caterpillar . Students and staff also walked out of lectures in protest over
15190-400: The introduction of a wider zero-emission zone is expected in the future, at a date to be confirmed. Oxford has eight bus gates, short sections of road where only buses and other authorised vehicles can pass. Six further bus gates are currently proposed. A council-led consultation on the traffic filters ended on 13 October 2022. On 29 November 2022, Oxfordshire County Council cabinet approved
15345-494: The introduction on a trial basis, for a minimum period of six months. The trial will begin after improvement works to Oxford railway station are complete, which is expected to be by October 2024. The additional bus gates have been controversial; Oxford University and Oxford Bus Company support the proposals but more than 3,700 people have signed an online petition opposing the new traffic filters for Marston Ferry Road and Hollow Way, and hotelier Jeremy Mogford has argued they would be
15500-860: The invasion of Iraq . Hundreds of thousands demonstrated in other parts of the country: in Scotland, including in Edinburgh , Glasgow , Dundee , Forres , Dumfries and Aberdeen ; England – for instance, in Leeds , Blackburn , Manchester , Sheffield , Birmingham , Oxford , Swindon , Bristol , Norwich , Brighton , Southampton — Wales, including in Cardiff , Swansea , Abergavenny and Newport ; and Northern Ireland , including in Lurgan , Armagh , Derry , and in Belfast , where
15655-659: The invasion of Ukraine, and demanding it investigate its financial ties with weapons companies potentially supplying Israel. On 13 and 16 October 2023, lawyers at the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians issued notice to prime minister Rishi Sunak , leader of the opposition Keir Starmer , and Labour politicians Emily Thornberry and David Lammy , outlining their intention to prosecute politicians who might aid and abet war crimes . The notices were issued following statements by Starmer and Thornberry, Shadow Attorney General , that appeared to justify
15810-458: The killing of babies. Protesters demonstrated outside the office of Peter Kyle , Labour MP for Hove , who also abstained on the vote for a ceasefire. The protesters left a list of demands at the MP's office, including that the MP denounce Israel's "illegal use of excessive force", call for an immediate ceasefire and demand a stop to arms exports to Israel. Steve McCabe 's Birmingham Selly Oak office
15965-509: The knowledge that they are likely being used to kill and maim Gaza’s population." The Royal College of Nursing released a statement condemning "atrocities" against civilians and health care workers in Israel and Gaza, and demanding health care workers be able to care for the sick and injured without the threat of violence because health care is a human right. Minority ethnic health care staff from 27 associations of nurses, midwives , doctors and other health care workers, wrote an open letter to
16120-493: The large rise in house prices in Oxford, making it the least affordable city in the United Kingdom outside of London, with estate agents calling for brownfield land inside the green belt to be released for new housing. The vast majority of the area covered is outside of the city, but there are some green spaces within that which are covered by the designation, such as much of the Thames and river Cherwell flood-meadows , and
16275-548: The largest single room devoted to book sales in the whole of Europe, the Norrington Room (10,000 sq ft). There is a long history of brewing in Oxford. Several of the colleges had private breweries, one of which, at Brasenose , survived until 1889. In the 16th century brewing and malting appear to have been the most popular trades in the city. There were breweries in Brewer Street and Paradise Street , near
16430-674: The launch of its third LP, in 2014. The building seats between 800 and 1000 people and is on the grounds of part of the Bodleian Library adjacent to Broad Street . To the left at the front is the Clarendon Building and to the right is the Old Ashmolean Building . Behind the Sheldonian is the Divinity School . The theatre is a Grade I listed building which was first added to the list on
16585-481: The letters, from DJs, producers, collectives and venues part of the UK electronic music scene, had nearly 300 signatories; another, published in the London Review of Books , had 750; and the third, from members of Artists for Palestine, had more than 2,000. The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) called for a ceasefire and an end to the "humanitarian catastrophe", a spokesperson saying,
16740-678: The most complete remains of a dodo found anywhere in the world. It also hosts the Simonyi Professorship of the Public Understanding of Science , currently held by Marcus du Sautoy . Adjoining the Museum of Natural History is the Pitt Rivers Museum , founded in 1884, which displays the university's archaeological and anthropological collections, currently holding over 500,000 items. It recently built
16895-564: The names of each their 189 colleagues killed in Gaza. Thousands of doctors signed an open letter to the government condemning its support for Israel as a "flagrant disregard of international law violations and healthcare crises". A number of trade unions released statements condemning the attacks by both Hamas and Israel and calling for a ceasefire, including the RMT , FBU and the two largest UK trade unions , Unite and Unison , with Unison making donations to Medical Aid for Palestinians and
17050-416: The obvious solution of a Gothic roof. Instead, he decided to use the "geometrical flat floor" grid developed twenty years before by Oxford professor John Wallis . It involved ... creating a series of trusses which were built up from shorter section[s] and held in place by their own weight, with help from judiciously placed iron bolts and plates ... [S]o effective [was the roof] that for nearly
17205-503: The order and voted for the ceasefire motion. Ten frontbenchers resigned from their position because they did not agree with the party line . Pro-Palestine protesters expressed their disagreement and disarpoval of political parties' and politicians' positions on Israel's actions towards Palestinians. Protestors chanted "Shame on you" at Conservative MP Michael Gove , then- Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations , as he
17360-416: The original ( Didcot ) route is still in use for its full length, portions of the others remain. There were also routes to the north and west. The line to Banbury was opened in 1850, and was extended to Birmingham Snow Hill in 1852; a route to Worcester opened in 1853. A branch to Witney was opened in 1862, which was extended to Fairford in 1873. The line to Witney and Fairford closed in 1962, but
17515-695: The others remain open. Oxford was historically an important port on the River Thames , with this section of the river being called the Isis ; the Oxford-Burcot Commission in the 17th century attempted to improve navigation to Oxford. Iffley Lock and Osney Lock lie within the bounds of the city. In the 18th century the Oxford Canal was built to connect Oxford with the Midlands . Commercial traffic has given way to recreational use of
17670-533: The panels had their linings replaced, holes in the canvas mended, and over-painting removed. The allegorical story depicted in the paintings shows Truth descending upon the Arts and Sciences and expelling ignorance from the University. In May 2024, during the Israel–Hamas war protests in the United Kingdom , the Sheldonian Theatre played centre stage for Oxford University students, who listed their Gaza demands there, in reaction to civilian deaths. Protesters later blocked
17825-427: The party to "change their policy ... and to demand an immediate ceasefire". Following a parliamentary vote on a ceasefire, from which the majority of Labour MPs abstained, MPs' constituency offices were targeted. Jo Stevens , one of the abstaining MPs, had the word "Murderer" graffitied on her Cardiff Central office, and stickers and posters were stuck up saying the MP had " blood ... on her hands " and supported
17980-466: The path of graduation ceremonies taking place at the theatre. The building has a prominent eight-sided cupola in the centre of the roof, which is accessible via a staircase leading to the dome over the main ceiling. The cupola has large windows on all sides, providing views across central Oxford, and is open to visitors. The theatre is used for music recitals, lectures (such as the annual Romanes Lecture ), conferences, and for various ceremonies held by
18135-535: The phrase as "a rejoinder to the fragmentation of Palestinian land and people by Israeli occupation and discrimination", and denies that this implies ethnic cleansing of Jewish people or the erasure of Israel. He argues to claim it does is itself Islamophobic. Law scholar Nimer Sultany says the controversy around the chant is designed to "prevent solidarity in the West with the Palestinians". In Manchester, when
18290-647: The politician's intervention, UKRI suspended the EDI group. A number of academics resigned from UKRI in protest, and 2,500 academics signed an open letter condemning the minister's intervention. Robert Jenrick , Minister of State for Immigration , instructed the Home Office to consider how they could revoke work visas and expel international students who "praise Hamas". Protestors, journalists such as Owen Jones , academics, charity organisers such as Ismail Patel , and civil liberty groups such as Liberty and
18445-399: The pool of Oxford University students and graduates, and, especially for EFL education , use their Oxford location as a selling point. Oxford has numerous major tourist attractions, many belonging to the university and colleges. As well as several famous institutions, the town centre is home to Carfax Tower and the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, both of which offer views over
18600-413: The pro-Palestine chant " From the river to the sea " at protests has also been described as antisemitic and pro-Hamas by politicians, the media, and pro-Israeli groups. Palestinians and scholars have objected to this, describing the chant as expressing a desire for Palestinian self-determination or full equal rights, whether in Israel, Palestine, or both. Political analyst Yousef Munayyer has described
18755-481: The protest. The following week, protesters set up encampments the University of Oxford , University of Cambridge , School of Oriental and African Studies , and University of Liverpool on May 6, with an encampment at Swansea University having been established at some point before this (voluntarily disbanded early June citing "significant wins" including divestment from Barclays Bank ). In Scotland, encampments were also established at Aberdeen University and
18910-462: The right to cut off water and electricity to Gaza . Two days before, British scholars of law, conflict studies , and Holocaust and genocide studies , including Alison Phipps , UNESCO chair at the University of Glasgow , Nadine El-Enany , Professor of Law at the University of Kent , and Damien Short , professor of human rights at the School of Advanced Study , had been among signatories of
19065-492: The right to self-determination" — sentiments expressed similarly by the General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU), which also voiced that the "current escalation in violence takes place in the context of the illegal occupation of Palestinian territory by Israel and a systematic oppression of the Palestinian people, described by international human rights organisations as a system of " apartheid "". United Voices of
19220-518: The river and canal. Oxford was the original base of Salters Steamers (founded in 1858), which was a leading racing-boatbuilder that played an important role in popularising pleasure boating on the Upper Thames. The firm runs a regular service from Folly Bridge downstream to Abingdon and beyond. Oxford's central location on several transport routes means that it has long been a crossroads city with many coaching inns , although road traffic
19375-410: The said Theatre is, in our Opinion, like[ly] to remain and continue in such Repair and Condition, for one hundred or two hundred Years yet to come." In November 2008 a four-year project to restore the ceiling fresco was completed. The thirty-two oil on canvas panels originally painted by King Charles II ’s court painter, Robert Streater , were removed and conserved. As part of the conservation process,
19530-574: The same issues. University of Sheffield students interrupted the opening ceremony of the university's newest building, in support of Palestine and in protest over the university's financial contracts with arms manufacturers, including BAE Systems, GKN , Boeing . Palestine Action spray painted the London building of Leonardo in protest of its manufacturing of weapons used by Israel. In May 2024, over 100 music acts decided to boycott The Great Escape Festival in Brighton and Hove , in protest against
19685-458: The second highest percentage of people cycling to work. Oxford railway station is half a mile (about 1 km) west of the city centre. The station is served by CrossCountry services to Bournemouth and Manchester Piccadilly ; Great Western Railway (who manage the station) services to London Paddington , Banbury and Hereford ; and Chiltern Railways services to London Marylebone . Oxford has had three main railway stations. The first
19840-428: The security team that students with ID would be allowed access to the building. About 50 demonstrators remained, stating that they intended to occupy the building until their demands were met. Following a court order on June 14, they were evicted from the building on June 17. Also on May 14, encampments were also set up at Cardiff University , University of Lincoln , and students from the University of Exeter set up
19995-564: The specialist further and higher education institution Ruskin College that is part of the University of West London in Oxford. The Islamic Azad University also has a campus near Oxford. The University of Oxford is the oldest university in the English-speaking world, and one of the most prestigious higher education institutions of the world, averaging nine applications to every available place, and attracting 40% of its academic staff and 17% of undergraduates from overseas. In September 2016, it
20150-532: The spires of the city. Many tourists shop at the historic Covered Market . In the summer, punting on the Thames / Isis and the Cherwell is a common practice. As well as being a major draw for tourists (9.1 million in 2008, similar in 2009) , Oxford city centre has many shops, several theatres and an ice rink. There are two small shopping malls in the city centre: the Clarendon Centre and
20305-653: The sports brand's sponsoring of the Israeli Football Association . A protest was held outside a McDonald's in Bristol, mice were released in McDonald's restaurants in Birmingham, and stick insects in one in Keighley , West Yorkshire, after a franchise in Israel donated free food to Israeli soldiers . McDonald's responded that they did not support or fund any governments involved in
20460-660: The town. A heavily ecclesiastical town, Oxford was greatly affected by the changes of the English Reformation , emerging as the seat of a bishopric and a full-fledged city. During the English Civil War , Oxford housed the court of Charles I and stood at the heart of national affairs. The city began to grow industrially during the 19th century, and had an industrial boom in the early 20th century, with major printing and car-manufacturing industries. These declined, along with other British heavy industry, in
20615-400: The universities' office buildings. The university accused protesters of "threatening and violent actions". On May 27, protesters at Aberystwyth University began a weeklong sit-in at the university's library, and in the evening, protesters at the University of Manchester barricaded themselves inside Whitworth Hall , disrupting exams that were due to take place in the building. An encampment
20770-591: The village of Binsey , along with several smaller portions on the fringes. Other landscape features and places of interest covered include Cutteslowe Park and the mini railway attraction, the University Parks , Hogacre Common Eco Park, numerous sports grounds, Aston's Eyot , St Margaret 's Church and well, and Wolvercote Common and community orchard. There are two tiers of local government covering Oxford, at district and county level: Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council . From 1889 to 1974
20925-594: The war began, which has often targeted pro-Palestinian activists and protests. They say politicians and public figures have labelled pro-Palestine marches, chants and placards "antisemitic", including the Palestinian flag itself, while remaining "inexcusably silent" on anti-Palestinianism and Islamophobia. For example, then- Home Secretary Suella Braverman accused the Metropolitan Police of being biased towards pro-Palestinian protesters. Cambridge University professor James Orr has described Manchester protesters with Palestinian flags as "morally abhorrent". The use of
21080-489: The war crime of collective punishment based on "Israel's right to defend itself". The letters were written by the group's co-chairs, Conservative MP Crispin Blunt and lawyer Tayab Ali, a partner at Bindman law firm. Eight prominent British Jewish lawyers – Lord David Neuberger , Philippe Sands KC , Richard Hermer KC, Danny Friedman KC, Anthony Metzer KC, Jon Turner KC, Adam Wagner and Sandra Fredman — wrote
21235-426: Was Boswell's , founded in 1738. The store closed in 2020. St Aldate's has few shops but several local government buildings, including the town hall , the city police station and local council offices. The High (the word street is traditionally omitted) is the longest of the four streets and has a number of independent and high-end chain stores, but mostly university and college buildings. The historic buildings mean
21390-552: Was "not the right response because we need to keep the pressure on this terrorist organisation to stop their hostilities, to release hostages and to come back to the diplomatic negotiating table. At this stage, I'm not sure that another humanitarian route is the answer". Following the explosion at the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza, 70 international NGOs , including ActionAid UK, Bond , CAFOD, Christian Aid, Islamic Relief, Médecins Sans Frontières UK, Oxfam, Save
21545-412: Was 1788, with 336.7 mm (13.26 in) of rainfall. The wettest year was 2012, with 979.5 mm (38.56 in). The wettest month on record was September 1774, with a total fall of 223.9 mm (8.81 in). The warmest month on record is July 1983, with an average of 21.1 °C (70 °F) and the coldest is January 1963, with an average of −3.0 °C (27 °F). The warmest year on record
21700-421: Was a climate of apprehension among Jewish groups. Home secretary Suella Braverman characterised pro-Palestinian demonstrations as "hate marches". Protesters stressed that being pro-Palestinian did not make someone antisemitic, Reasons people gave for protesting included calling for a ceasefire; for an end to the bombing of, and "the massacre" in, Gaza and an end to the killing of Palestinian children; for
21855-607: Was also available but closed in April 2009; a service operated by That's TV , originally called That's Oxford (now That's Oxfordshire), took to the airwaves in 2015. The city is home to a BBC Television newsroom which produces an opt-out from the main South Today programme broadcast from Southampton . Local papers include The Oxford Times (compact; weekly), its sister papers the Oxford Mail ( tabloid ; daily) and
22010-577: Was also set up at Imperial College London (voluntarily disbanded June 20). Direct action was taken at arms factories that supplied arms to Israel. For instance, on 24 October, trade unionists in Kent , from such unions as Unite, Unison, the NEU , UCU , the BMA and BFAWU , blockaded Instro Precision, a subsidiary of Israeli military drone manufacturer Elbit Systems ; on 31 October, Palestine Action blocked
22165-409: Was another outside which protesters gathered, this time calling for the MP's deselection . Hundreds of people marched through Labour leader Keir Starmer's constituency and protested outside his office, critical of his handling of the crisis. 100,000 signed a petition to expel Tzipi Hotovely . Protesters interrupted an event held by Angela Rayner , with one woman telling Rayner, "You call yourself
22320-481: Was as repugnant to Fell and his colleagues as it had been to Laud"; with this in mind they approached the Archbishop of Canterbury Gilbert Sheldon, for his blessing, his assistance, and a donation. Sheldon was forthcoming with all three. He initially gave an impressive £1,000 (£193,258 today) and pledged to gather the needed money from like-minded sponsors. He had little luck, however, and ultimately financed nearly
22475-619: Was erected in 1678–1683 to house a cabinet of curiosities given to the University of Oxford in 1677. The museum reopened in 2009 after a major redevelopment. It holds significant collections of art and archaeology, including works by Michelangelo , Leonardo da Vinci , Turner , and Picasso , as well as treasures such as the Scorpion Macehead , the Parian Marble and the Alfred Jewel . It also contains " The Messiah ",
22630-529: Was established in 1990, and the Begbroke Science Park , owned by the university, lies north of the city. Oxford increasingly has a reputation for being a centre of digital innovation, as epitomized by Digital Oxford. Several startups including Passle, Brainomix, Labstep, and more, are based in Oxford. The presence of the university has also led to Oxford becoming a centre for the education industry. Companies often draw their teaching staff from
22785-527: Was established in the city in 1910. The principal production site for Mini cars, owned by BMW since 2000, is in the Oxford suburb of Cowley . The plant, which survived the turbulent years of British Leyland in the 1970s and was threatened with closure in the early 1990s, also produced cars under the Austin and Rover brands following the demise of the Morris brand in 1984, although the last Morris-badged car
22940-592: Was founded in 1743 by Richard Tawney. He formed a partnership in 1782 with Mark and James Morrell, who eventually became the owners. After an acrimonious family dispute the brewery was closed in 1998. The beer brand names were taken over by the Thomas Hardy Burtonwood brewery, while the 132 tied pubs were bought by Michael Cannon, owner of the American hamburger chain Fuddruckers , through
23095-408: Was granted city status in 1542. The city is located at the confluence of the rivers Thames (locally known as the Isis ) and Cherwell . It had a population of 163,257 in 2022. It is 56 miles (90 km) north-west of London , 64 miles (103 km) south-east of Birmingham and 61 miles (98 km) north-east of Bristol . The city is home to the University of Oxford , the oldest university in
23250-411: Was not "insensitive or inappropriate" to remind Israel of its obligations. The same day, 39 legal scholars from British universities , including Phil Scraton , Professor Emeritus at Queen's University Belfast 's School of Law, wrote to Keir Starmer asking him to clarify Labour's position on war crimes – particularly collective punishment – in light of Starmer's statement on LBC Radio that Israel had
23405-565: Was opened at Grandpont in 1844, but this was a terminus, inconvenient for routes to the north; it was replaced by the present station on Park End Street in 1852 with the opening of the Birmingham route. Another terminus, at Rewley Road , was opened in 1851 to serve the Bletchley route; this station closed in 1951. There have also been a number of local railway stations, all of which are now closed. A fourth station, Oxford Parkway ,
23560-581: Was produced there in 1982. Oxford University Press , a department of the University of Oxford , is based in the city, although it no longer operates its own paper mill and printing house. The city is also home to the UK operations of Wiley-Blackwell , Elsevier and several smaller publishing houses. The presence of the university has given rise to many science and technology based businesses, including Oxford Instruments , Research Machines and Sophos . The university established Isis Innovation in 1987 to promote technology transfer. The Oxford Science Park
23715-423: Was ranked as the world's number one university, according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings . Oxford is renowned for its tutorial -based method of teaching. The University of Oxford maintains the largest university library system in the United Kingdom, and, with over 11 million volumes housed on 120 miles (190 km) of shelving, the Bodleian group is the second-largest library in
23870-407: Was ushered through London Victoria shortly after a sit-in at the station. Protesters interrupted Yvette Cooper 's speech, holding up "Ceasefire now" signs, during the King's Speech debate in the House of Commons as she spoke about the crisis in Israel. Protesters demonstrated outside Labour's London headquarters, chanting "Keir Starmer, you can't hide, you're endorsing genocide" and calling for
24025-475: Was −17.8 °C (0.0 °F) on 24 December 1860. The highest temperature ever recorded in Oxford is 38.1 °C (101 °F) on 19 July 2022. The average conditions below are from the Radcliffe Meteorological Station . It has the longest series of temperature and rainfall records for one site in Britain . These records are continuous from January 1815. Irregular observations of rainfall, cloud cover, and temperature exist since 1767. The driest year on record
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