One institution spoke with BAE Systems before disciplining students.
British weapons manufacturer BAE Systems worked with UK universities to counter campus protests against Israel’s genocide in Gaza, according to emails and internal documents.
An investigation by Liberty Investigates and Al Jazeera found 13 UK universities spoke with the firm about how to handle demonstrations.
In 2024, the company appeared to have urged universities “to counteract an often skewed, but prominent narrative from protesters” about its partnership with higher education institutions, slides from a presentation show.
Staff members from one top institution spoke with BAE before disciplining student activists. Another interacted with the company about an upcoming protest against the firm.
BAE Systems supplies Israel with parts for F-35 fighter jets, which have played a key role in the Israeli military’s destruction of Gaza.
The 13 universities identified – including Manchester University, Nottingham University, Sheffield University, Southampton University, Birmingham University, Strathclyde and Cranfield – collectively receive as much as £15m via agreements for research funding with the arms manufacturer, according to the investigation.
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