Students at Newcastle University staged protests Tuesday morning against the presence of defence contractors BAE Systems and Caterpillar at the university's careers fair.
Demonstrations began early on the Newcastle University campus and continued across both days of the event. The protests followed similar actions in recent years, with students voicing opposition to the inclusion of companies linked to the defence industry.
Campaigners argued that firms such as BAE Systems and Caterpillar should not be invited to engage with students at university-run events. Previous protests were sparked in 2023 when ‘Pearsons Engineering’, a subsidiary of Rafael, an Israeli state-owned weapons manufacturer, participated in the fair.
A spokesperson for the student-led group 'Apartheid Off Campus' said:
“I have been protesting alongside other students, and this is the third consecutive year we’ve taken action against the same companies. The first time was during the 2023-2024 academic year, when Pearsons Engineering, owned by Rafael, was invited. Today, BAE Systems and Caterpillar are on campus. Both companies were named in a UN report last year, which urged them to halt arms sales to Israel or risk violating international law.
"University management has been made aware of these concerns, yet the same companies return year after year. It’s reached a point where the UN has described the situation in Gaza as genocide. These weapons are used to decimate hospitals and civilian areas. We don’t want our university collaborating with weapons manufacturers or being complicit in actions that may amount to war crimes. Our aim is to ensure students are informed and take a stand on the right side of history.”
When asked about the ongoing protests, a spokesperson for Newcastle University said:
"We recognise and uphold the fundamental right to freedom of speech and seek to foster a culture where difficult issues can be challenged and analysed while accepting differences in views and opinion. We have measures in place to support peaceful protest on campus. Our priority is always to ensure that our campus remains safe for everyone, and any protests should be conducted within the law and our own regulations."
A final rally was held at 1pm on Wednesday 15th, and the career fair continued until 5pm.