Thirteen British universities have discussed how to handle pro-Palestine campus protests with the United Kingdom’s largest weapons manufacturer, including ramping up security at events and coordinating responses to criticism.
The correspondence between universities and BAE Systems was uncovered in emails and internal documents obtained in a joint investigation by Liberty Investigates and Al Jazeera.
One United Nations expert said these disclosures suggest a “troubling pattern” of universities taking “operational cues and security strategies from weapons manufacturers to suppress their own students”.
Among the institutions are the University of Manchester, the University of Nottingham, the University of Southampton, the University of Birmingham, the University of Strathclyde, and Cranfield University. Considered “strategic partners” by BAE Systems, they collectively receive up to 15 million pounds ($20m) a year from the company under funding agreements.