UK universities implemented a harsher crackdown on Gaza protesters after being lobbied by campus security officials, an investigation has revealed.
Emails obtained by Liberty Investigates and shared with The Guardian revealed that the Association of University Chief Security Officers (AUCSO), an organisation with over 140 UK universities as its members, privately lobbied the university’s vice-chancellors to ensure they would be supported regarding how the Gaza protests were handled.
The chancellors assured the officials they would be backed if “things got tough” after US security officials faced disciplinary action for their crackdown on pro-Palestine students protesting.
Oliver Curran, AUCSO’s chair, emailed that he had met with Universities UK, the body that represents vice-chancellors, after attending a security conference in New Orleans to discuss how they were handling the pro-Gaza encampments and what they had learned.
After the conference, Curran posted on LinkedIn that he looked forward to implementing the US’s “innovative strategies” in the UK.
“One of the first things I did when I returned to the UK was to approach [university vice-chancellors] and asked that they continually provide the UK Aucso members with the support we require. The responses were extremely reassuring,” Curran wrote in the email.
The chair said the officials planned joint workshops with their US counterparts to prepare for a second wave of protests.
More emails revealed how AUSCO set up a “protest and assembly special interest group” as more encampments were being set up across the UK where the attendees were told to “choose wording and phrasing carefully” as “it may be subject to [freedom of information] requests”.
An AUSCO spokesperson said: “Universities see regular protests across different issues and students have the right to protest peacefully on issues that are important to them, whilst having full confidence that they are safe.”
“Our main message to universities is to be aware and conscious of what is happening and keep a watchful eye, engage with your security teams and ensure fluid and regular comms and engagement with all key parties.”
A Universities UK spokesperson told The Guardian: “We do not recognise that description of our meeting with Aucso. Aucso were invited to a meeting of all UK vice-chancellors to share their insights on handling protests and encampments because of their expertise in this area.”
“Universities work hard to balance their duty to protect and promote free speech, and to allow legitimate protest, with the obligation to ensure the safety of their campuses and the ability of staff and students to go about their work and study. In any case, they are also obliged by law to prevent hate speech and racism.”
Almost nine universities were briefed by private intelligence and security companies on how to handle the protests, the investigation revealed.
AUSCO said it did not influence whether its members used private intelligence firms.
Almost 113 UK students and staff across at least 28 universities linked to the Gaza protests were investigated since October 2023, a freedom of information request by Liberty Investigates and Sky News revealed.
The report also highlighted an incident at Newcastle University, where a protest, described as non-violent, erupted into chaos after officers started intercepting protesters with batons. Footage showed police officers physically removing students who were occupying a university building.
At least 40 institutions discussed the Gaza protests with police forces or private intelligence organisations, while 36 were in direct communication with the police.
After Israel’s war on Gaza began in October 2023, students worldwide began rallying on university campuses, setting up sit-in encampments to call for an end to the war and for universities to divest from Israel-linked companies.
Students in the US, where the movement began faced harsh crackdowns and disciplinary proceedings, with many universities restricting protesting on campus.
