Students taking part in a pro-Palestinian encampment protest on the grounds of Trinity College in Dublin (TCD) have voiced confidence the action will force the university to cut ties with Israel.
Visitors were unable to access the historic Book of Kells over the weekend due to the action that began on Friday evening when student activists set up tents inside the campus of the prestigious university.
The university authorities have cut off public access to the grounds in response to the protest.
Outgoing students' union president Laszlo Molnarfi said the size of the camp continued to grow, with around 100 people and 70 tents as of today.
He said they were committed to maintaining the blockade of the Book of Kells until the university severed all ties with Israel.
"The Book of Kells is blockaded, there's absolutely no tourism and we're staying there," he said.
Mr Molnarfi said, as of this afternoon, university officials had yet to reach out to those taking part in the protest since it began.
He said there was a lot of energy in the encampment.
"People are very confident," he said.
The scenes at Trinity College follow a wave of similar student protests at university campuses across the US.
The encampment was initiated days after it emerged that the university authorities had fined the students' union more than €200,000 over previous protests on campus.
It invoiced the union for €214,285 euro after a series of demonstrations about fees and rent, as well as pro-Palestinian solidarity protests.
The university cited a loss of revenue due to blockades of the Book of Kells and famous Long Room library among the reasons for the fine.
In response to the latest demonstration, the university said that while it supported the right of students to protest, they must be done within the rules of the institution.
"Trinity respects the strong stance expressed by the people participating in the encampment protest and blockade, and we support the right to peaceful protest," it said in a statement yesterday.
"There are also, however, many good reasons why the university's policies, including health and safety, dignity and respect must be followed when doing so," it added.
The statement described the duty of care to students and staff as "paramount".
It said access to the campus had been restricted due to this duty of care.
It said: "We are ensuring that those protesting on campus are members of the college community, so access to campus has been restricted to students and staff with valid college ID cards only.
"We have not made this decision lightly."
The university said a number of "practical steps in response to the war in Gaza" has been taken.
Trinity said it was responding to the war in Gaza in several ways, including the work to update its investment portfolio in line with a UN blacklist of companies.
"Trinity is always open to engaging with staff and students on these issues: in the past week alone, the provost has met with Academics for Palestine and also with the Students' Union president and Students' Union officers to discuss these issues," it added.
Trinity College said it will also continue to "engage with our Jewish staff and students who are impacted."
In regard to ties with Israeli institutions, Trinity said it was for its academics to make their own decisions about what universities they collaborate with, insisting it would not impinge on that "cornerstone" of academic freedom.
Labour has expressed solidarity with those taking part in the protest.
"The students of Trinity College Dublin are rightly protesting against Trinity's financial investments in Israeli companies and links to Israeli institutions," Labour senator Annie Hoey said.
Ms Hoey added: "The students have protested these issues consistently, and by Trinity's rules, for the past number of months but there has been little response or action taken.
"Protest that does not cause an interruption or nuisance for the university have been ignored. It is right for the students to escalate their protest."
