BAE presentation disrupted

Students from Weapons Out of Warwick disrupted a presentation on campus by BAE systems, asking “difficult questions” of the defence contractor.

Before the presentation, members of the group provided an alternative guide for the other students attending, highlighting the company’s links with the arms trade, especially as supplier of the Israeli army.

The students from Weapons out of Warwick had booked twenty places in the presentation, and were therefore allowed to remain throughout. However, two students who were leafleting outside were asked to leave by Warwick Security.

At the beginning of the presentation, five members of the group stood up and told students to listen to the other side of the story.

A member of the society, Nick Long, gave a five-minute speech on the “ethical consequences”, arguing that the “creation, distribution and production of weapons will affect millions”.

This was to the great distress of the representative from Warwick Careers Centre, who threatened to have him removed by Warwick Security if he continued.

BAE then completed their presentation, but after they finished ten members of the group once again stood up to “point out pragmatic, moral and ethical issues with the company”.

During the designated question time, almost all the questions came from one of the twenty protestors. Chris Rossdale, one of the participants, said “Every single question [came from Weapons out of Warwick], they couldn’t get a question from a Warwick graduate.”

BAE refused to comment on their weapons agreements, but claimed the group had been misinformed.

The University of Warwick’s Students’ Union supported the group in this action. The Union has an anti-arms policy and are therefore obliged to support the society.

In fact, members of the Union were present during the BAE presentation. The Welfare Committee Chair, Ethics and Social Justice Campaigns Officer and Environment Campaigns Officer all participated in the demonstration.

Barnaby Pace, Weapons out of Warwick Coordinator, said “The Careers Service educate students about companies, but Weapons out of Warwick feel a responsibility to educate students about the darker side.”

Pace emphasised the society’s position, “We feel the Careers Centre is failing in its obligation… Anytime an arms company comes on campus we want to be there to give the other side of the story.”

However, some students do not appreciate the attempt to drive the business off campus. TJ, a final year Engineering student, said, “They’re ruining my career prospects, it should be my choice.”

Peter Dunn, the Communications Officer for the University, commented, “Over 1000 students attended the [careers fair] looking for jobs with the range of companies that attended – I am not aware of any demonstration against the companies by students that even came close to that number.

“That suggests that the majority of Warwick students wanted to talk about careers with the companies concerned and the university was happy to provide that opportunity. We had no issues as a University with any of the companies who attended.”

Weapons out of Warwick frequently protest careers fairs and are currently behind the sit-in protest in SO.21. One of their demands is that Warwick ends its connections with BAE.