Open university FRIENDS OF PALESTINE

Tag: BAE Systems

  • I’m a UKAF Veteran Turned Peace Activist — Silenced at Open University BAE Systems Event

    I’m a UKAF Veteran Turned Peace Activist — Silenced at Open University BAE Systems Event

    Open University BAE Systems Event: A veteran-turned peace activist was removed from an event involving BAE Systems, raising concerns about protest and free speech at the Open University

    In 2014, I moved from England to Northern Ireland / North of Ireland (NI), leaving behind a career in the UK Armed Forces (UKAF). Adjusting to life in a post-conflict society was challenging, especially with fluctuating symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. It felt important to learn what I could of the region’s complex history from different perspectives. Much of this was facilitated by my pre-Open University (OU) study at a local university. It was here that I discovered the link between UK Higher Education and arms manufacturers. It didn’t surprise me, but then why would it? I’m a veteran who grew up in an area of England littered with reminders of WWII; a vehicle test track often used for new military vehicles; and an active arms manufacturer nearby. It seemed normal to me. However, the issue with normalisation is that what is ‘normal’ is not usually questioned. I genuinely hadn’t made the connection between the arms being manufactured in my neighbourhood to wreak havoc thousands of miles away until I was thousands of miles away from my neighbourhood. Iraq was a land of contrasts; there were stark differences between rich and poor, what we were told of the people and how they treated us, Western ‘evidence’ of weapons of mass destruction and the truth. The experience taught me an important lesson that I have tried to carry forward in my new life in NI and has been seminal in turning to peace and anti-war activism. I have learned to centre peoples’ lived experience above all else.

    UK universities have been involved in weapons research since the First World War (WWI). What was once viewed as a product of necessity soon became a means by which institutions could navigate various financial crises, further facilitated by the dominance of neoliberalism in the 1980s (Ajonye, 2024; Roberton and Lees, 2002; Shewan, 2025). According to Liam Doherty of Demilitarise Education (2023), the shift to increasingly marketised models has contributed to universities’ dependence on funding from both fossil fuel and the arms industries. He argues that while progress has been made in divestment from fossil fuel companies, the same cannot be said for the latter. In fact, student-led divestment campaigns – gaining significant traction since the onset of genocide against the Palestinian people – found that, in the last fifteen years alone, arms companies invested hundreds of millions of pounds into research programmes and collaborations (Larkham, 2024). Universities have also been accused of increasingly authoritarian responses to student protest against the presence of these companies at on-campus events. This has ranged from covert online surveillance to increased securitisation (Boffey and Walkawar, 2025; Shewan, 2025). In 2025, a student protestor at an NI university careers fair faced expulsion amid claims of “abusive, threatening, bullying or harassing behaviour” (Tunney, 2025). Though disciplinary proceedings were later dropped, the matter sparked widespread outrage and inspired more students to act, including me.

    Silenced at Open University BAE Systems Event

    Moving forward, I joined OU Friends of Palestine shortly after starting my degree with the institution. Having protested against the genocide since it began, I was keen to get involved in the group’s activities, particularly as known involvement of various companies could conflict with the university’s own ethical policies. My opportunity came with the Open University BAE Systems event: Capture the Flag, in February 2026, which had been advertised as a gamified recruitment event by the OU Careers and Employability Service. My aim was to ask people to reconsider their participation, reflecting the rights to freedom of expression, to protest and to peacefully encourage conscientious objection. I had intended to outline my position in the opening presentation (in which it was confirmed by the main speaker as a recruitment event). But when the ‘floor’ wasn’t opened to questions – probably as a result of previous student action – tactics were changed. Anti-climactically, I was ejected from the presentation after making some short statements in its chat feature without managing to get my point across. Moving to the platform to be used for the two-day event, I published a longer statement with my first name and  briefly outlining my view. I can’t be certain if it was removed by the group administrators as I was speedily ejected from the whole event. To be honest, it wasn’t unexpected, given the extensive footage of student activists being blocked or forced out of on-campus events. If anything, it is easier to silence OU students as most of our learning and extracurricular activities are online.

    Open University BAE Systems Event, veteran turned peace activist leaves comment saying: My name is Collette and I’m an armed forces veteran. The eagle-eyed of you will already have noticed that I made a couple of comments. I want to clarify. I am asking every single one of you (staff and participants) to become conscientious objectors to this event. It is morally incomprehensible that the Open University is facilitating those profiting from conflict, war and genocide. I should know enough about this – I experience PTSD symptoms because of my role in the illegal Iraq war. I served in 2008 where the biggest threat to my life was from improvised explosive devices. But BAE Systems make ones that are not improvised and are much more devastating in their cost to life. Last year, they earned $3.3 bn in profit – that’s a lot of money from death. I acknowledge that not everyone will agree with my stance – but I also recognise that not everyone has been in the position where they may have potentially had to pull the trigger. Conflicts rage all over the world with weapons that are supplied by BAE Systems and other Western arms manufacturers. And BAE Systems is looking to recruit YOU! Can you live with the deaths of millions of people on your conscience? Even if you don’t ever find yourself in the position of pulling the trigger, that should weigh heavily on you. Do the right thing. Leave this event. Call on the Open University to maintain its commitment to ethical practice. End Open University BAE Systems events. Thank you

    Open University BAE Systems Event: Comment left by veteran-turned peace activist, Colette

    My direct contribution lasted less than twenty minutes, though I remained in a support role for other activists for the rest of the weekend. When my statement was reshared on the second day, participants assumed I had rejoined the event using another alias and subjected activists to a tirade of abuse. Some of these individuals also made ethnic cleansing jokes through thinly-veiled analogies, referencing soap, “bath bombs” and companies on the Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS) list. None making light of human suffering and genocide, or bullying others were removed by BAE Systems’ group administrators, yet several peaceful activists were without question or warning. This double standard has since been reported to the university as a possible breach of the Higher Education Free Speech Act and as an individual complaint. Though I wait expectantly, I have neither been asked for evidence nor penalised for my involvement in the annual Open University BAE Systems event.

    I hope the OU will soon divest from the arms industry. Until then, I’ll keep showing up to challenge professional and financial relationships that are the antithesis of the university’s ethical commitments.

    Click here to send an automatic email to OU management, defending students protesting Open University BAE Systems events and calling out their complicity!

    REFERENCES

    Ajonye, O. (2024). ‘Weaponising Universities: Research collaborations between UK universities and the military industrial complex’. Campaign Against Arms Trade. Available at: https://caat.org.uk/publications/penDemocra-universities-research-collaborations-between-uk-universities-and-the-military-industrial-complex (Accessed: 29 March 2026).

    Boffey, D., & Walawalkar, A. (2025) ‘UK universities offered to monitor students’ social media for arms firms, emails show’. The Guardian (8 October). Available at: https://theguardian.com/education/2025/oct/08/uk-universities-offered-to-monitor-student-social-media-for-arms-firms-emails-show (Accessed: 07 April 2026).

    Doherty, L. (2023). ‘Investment, Influence and Integrity: how arms industries compromise universities’ research agendas’. Rethinking Security. Available at: https://rethinkingsecurity.org.uk/2023/03/13/investment-influence-and-integrity-how-arms-industries-compromise-universities-research-agendas (Accessed: 07 April 2026).

    Larkham, Z. (2024). ‘Students are catching their universities in bed with arms companies’. Novara Media (27 May). Available at: https://novaramedia.com/2024/05/27/students-are-catching-their-universities-in-bed-with-arms-companies (Accessed: 07 April 2026).

    Roberton, A., & Lees, C. (2002) Chapter 7: The university, 1939-45, Bulletin of the John Rylands Library, 84(1-2), pp. 447-532. https://doi.org/10.7227/BJRL.84.1-2.9

    Shewan, L. (2025). ‘Disciplining dissent: UK universities, the arms industry, and protest’. Scientists for Global Responsibility. Available at: https://www.sgr.org.uk/resources/disciplining-dissent-uk-universities-arms-industry-and-protest (Accessed: 29 March 2026).

    Tunney, L. (2025). ‘Student facing disciplinary hearing over pro-Palestine protest accuses QUB of stifling free speech’. Belfast Telegraph (20 November). Available at: https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/education/student-facing-disciplinary-hearing-over-pro-palestine-protest-accuses-qub-of-stifling-free-speech/a/112247740.html (Accessed: 07 April 2026).

  • Distance-learning Students Turn to Virtual Protest, Digitally Disrupting Online Recruitment Events at the Open University

    Distance-learning Students Turn to Virtual Protest, Digitally Disrupting Online Recruitment Events at the Open University

    [Milton Keynes, February 2026] — Open University students have begun staging coordinated digital protests during online recruitment events, challenging the university’s partnerships with arms companies including BAE Systems.

    As the UK’s largest distance-learning university, the Open University has a student body spread across the UK and internationally. Many students choose online study due to disabilities, health conditions, or caring responsibilities, making traditional forms of on-campus activism less accessible.

    In response, students have turned to online spaces to organise and protest. They say their actions form part of a wider student movement calling on universities to cut ties with arms companies.

    Nancy, a disabled student at the OU involved in a recent protest against BAE Systems, said:

    “As a disabled student, my ability to take part in activism has often been limited by my health. Being involved in the BAE Systems event was the first time I could meaningfully engage in activism from my own bed. The OU Friends of Palestine group has given me the opportunity to be part of a movement I care deeply about.”

    On 14–15 February, BAE Systems hosted its annual online “Capture the Flag” event

    a two-day cybersecurity-focused careers programme. More than 20 students affiliated with OU Friends of Palestine registered to take part, with the intention of challenging the presence of BAE Systems and other arms companies at the university. [SEE ACTION VIDEO]

    Students involved said their actions are motivated by longstanding criticism of BAE Systems from human rights organisations. These groups have raised concerns about the company’s role in supplying weapons to governments accused of human rights abuses, including in conflicts where civilians and infrastructure have been harmed.

    Colette, a veteran who was removed from the event after speaking up, later described their experience in an online blog post. They said:

    “I should know enough about this – I experienced PTSD symptoms because of my role in the illegal Iraq war. It is morally incomprehensible that the Open University is facilitating those profiteering from conflict, war, and genocide.”

    Student activists said they used the platform provided during the event to share messages with approximately 170 participants. They also used the chat function during live presentations to raise objections, sharing sources to support their claims and encouraging others to circulate their message.

    Participants allege that moderators removed those who raised pro-Palestinian or anti-war views, while allowing participants who expressed support for Israel or who made offensive remarks (including one joke about ethnic cleansing using the analogy of “bath bombs”) to remain. Those removed said this amounted to a double standard and selective moderation by admins employed by BAE Systems, and that this likely constitutes a breach of free speech and equality obligations held by the university. Some students have since filed a formal complaint with the university and are calling on members of the public to support them by writing to the institution using an email template they have prepared and published online.

    On 18 February, students also protested an Open University careers event hosted by Cisco.

    For this intervention, students sought help from current and former Cisco employees who are affiliated with the Bridge to Humanity campaign. With their expertise, they helped students prepare reasonable and informed questions to ask during the event. [SEE ACTION POST]

    The Open University has an established partnership with Cisco and is described as one of the world’s largest Cisco Networking Academy support centres. Students involved in the protest said their actions were motivated by concerns over Cisco’s activities. They allege that the company provides infrastructure linked to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory and maintains operations in areas considered illegal under international law.

    Participants said that, during the event, organisers restricted critical discussion. According to those involved, the chat and Q&A functions were disabled, and attendees were removed after raising challenging questions. Organisers also did not proceed with a planned live Q&A session.

    Former Cisco employees supporting the protest said these actions reflected how similar concerns had been handled internally. They pointed to an open letter signed by more than 1,700 employees calling on the company to clarify and reconsider some of its contracts related to Israel.

    A former Cisco employee, who wishes to stay anonymous, said:

    “Seeing Cisco silence Open University students for asking simple and reasonable questions came as no surprise to us Cisco employees. We experienced the same internally when over 1700 of us signed an open letter to our leadership asking for transparency”

    About Open University Friends of Palestine

    Open University Friends of Palestine is a student-led group made up of OU students and alumni. The group campaigns on issues related to Palestine and the arms industry and advocates for changes to the university’s partnerships and investment policies. They are affiliated with the student union (OUSU) and work with other student and staff groups including OU PSG (who recently opposed commitments made by the OU to UK Lawyers for Israel), and the University and College Union branch (OU UCU). Together they launched a broader joint divestment campaign that has gathered over 1,900 signatures in support of divestment from companies linked with Israel and the arms trade.

    Concerned with the universities approach to the issue of free speech surrounding this topic, students from OU Friends of Palestine are now appealing to the public to write to the VCE in defence of their actions using the form they have created on their website – a key piece of infrastructure for their digital strategy.

    Media contact

    Open University Friends of Palestine
    Email: ou.palfriends@protonmail.com
    Website: https://openuni-palfriends.org/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openuni_palfriends/