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Lancaster student's anti-BAE halloween mischief

Lancaster Student | 31.10.2007 17:30 | Anti-militarism | Education | Terror War

Students enter careers fair in order to protest the inclusion of arms manufacturer BAE Systems.

Inside the careers fair
Inside the careers fair

First banner drop
First banner drop

Die-in
Die-in


At approx. 1:45 pm this afternoon, a group of Lancaster University students entered the Great Hall on campus in order to protest the inclusion of weapons manufacturer BAE Systems in this year's careers fair. Two students flyered in the foyer of the building with leaflets detailing BAE's dealings with repressive regimes around the world, it's close ties with the British government, the collapse of Serious Fraud Office investigations, and it's increasing involvement in education. A further four students entered the hall and stood in front of BAE' s stall with a banner reading 'Get a career in killing with BAE Systems'. They handed out leaflets and talked to students around the stall. The demonstration was peaceful, and the students left after approx. 15 minutes inside the hall. The banner was then dropped above the foyer and the group vacated the building. The group then moved to Alexandra Square, one of the busiest parts of campus, and held a 'die-in' around a banner reading 'BAE Systems: A job to die for'. Many students stopped to ask about BAE and the protest. Shortly afterwards, two students re-entered the careers fair and dropped the banner from a balcony overlooking the fair.

While it was clear to the group that many other unethical companies were present at the fair hoping to recruit students, BAE Systems was chosen because of it's close ties with Lancaster University. The university holds shares in BAE Systems, and the Management School offers students the 'BAE Systems Certificate in Management', a course funded by and ran in conjunction with the company. The group hopes that today's fun marks the beginning of a sustained campaign against the university's investment in BAE Systems.

Lancaster Student

Additions

Contact the Vice Chancellor

31.10.2007 18:50


The Vice Chancellor of Lancaster University is Professor Paul Wellings:

 p.wellings@lancaster.ac.uk

How about e-mailing him and asking why a company which makes weapons intended to maim and kill has been allowed on the campus...?

paxman


well done lancaster!

31.10.2007 19:34

congratulations on a fine action. i hope more students (and parents and academics) will follow suit.

it's not just university education that BAE Systems is getting its grubby paws into either. For example, Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) recently reported that the company is planning to finance new schools in Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, where it makes nuclear submarines, including those which carry Trident nuclear weapons.

Do we really want manufacturers of delivery systems for weapons of mass annihilation, with a track record of corruption, bribery and doing business with repressive regimes like saudi arabia to be running our schools and universities, indoctrinating young impressionable minds with their murderous agenda? discuss.

dv


Comments

Hide the following 10 comments

Feel the love, Lancaster

31.10.2007 18:57

WE LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!!!! Nice work, and very attractive banners you got there.

Bolt cutters £4 at Aldi :)

la commune


Well done!

01.11.2007 00:19

Well done!

I work at Lancaster Uni - and saw some chalked anti-BAE slogans in the square as I walked through it today - that cheered me up alot! Well done! Keep it up! I'd join in if I saw you!

Always hope that some of our students have some fight in them - because mainstream politics is all so corrupt and controlled by big business. And student unions seem so apolitical these days. Lancaster campus used to be covered in political posters advertising meetings and protests (when I were a lad etc) - but recently it all seems to be apolitical stuff about cheap religion and cheap vodka, sold to us via sexist imagery! Good to see some critical voices. Please do more protests and stuff! At least you make one old academic very happy!

BAE = corporate murderers! Capitalism will kill the earth and its peoples unless we can RESIST!!!

Sociology Staff Member.

Member of Lancaster Academic Staff


Take your pick:

01.11.2007 08:16

"It's really easier than you think - it's all about dilution of responsibility. During the Vietnam War someone noted that while in theory nobody would accept burning children alive, some children are being burnt alive due to decisions made in a long chain of command where everyone is responsible for just a tiny bit of the whole process - from workers in plant making napalm bombs, to the pilot who is 'just following orders', to Robert McNamara, who deals just with abstract figures, maps, tables etc. So you would be just the guy who draws an arrow on the map. Or the guy who is just pressing the button. In your own conscience, you would feel 100 percent innocent."
Trurl's Machine, Slashdot 651488, June 20, 2005

“Basically, I exploited the phenomenon of the technician's often blind devotion to his task. Because of what appeared to be the moral neutrality of technology, these people were without scruples about their activities.” Albert Speer, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Nazi Germany.

Q: You are obviously greatly concerned about the damage which was done to the Hawk. Do you have any concern about the damage which would have been done to people in East Timor by the plane?
A: No.
Exchange with BAe senior manager at the trial of the Warton 4, Liverpool, July 1996.

Pascal Desmond


A service to the community

01.11.2007 09:43

Very pleased to see students stepping up and taking responsible action about participants in their academic community who collude and profit from human rights abuse.

As a Lancastrian I feel very strongly about the associations the University introduces into my community. An attitude that condones amoral profiteering and disrespect for human life should not be encouraged to infect young minds and to seep through into our local culture.

I will be putting your story on virtual-lancaster.net with links to this article. I'm assuming you won't mind! We will always run such stories positively.

love

editor

Virtual Lancaster
PO Box 721
Lancaster LA1 1XE

 http://www.virtual-lancaster.net
An independent volunteer-run website

satori
mail e-mail: satori@virtual-lancaster.net
- Homepage: http://www.virtual-lancaster.net


No BAe, No Future

01.11.2007 10:21

Lets take a minute to think what would happen if the UK didn’t have a military backing.
Where would we be now and what state would the country be in if there was no British army?
Are these people stupid. The British Army uses the aircraft that BAe design and manufacture and what a fine set of tools they are!
No BAe, No British Army, No UK !!
Its not BAe who is starting all the problems around the world it’s the terrorists and like, BAe build the tools to help stop it happening in the UK.
These students should stop prancing around there universities, pull there fingers out and realise what BAe does for us all.

Philip McCaverty


keep on Protesting - we dont need BAE!

01.11.2007 11:27

Hey kids! keep on Protesting - we dont need BAE! We need them to be GONE!!!

in response to Philip's post above -

1) Get real! BAE don't just sell to the British Army - they sell to regimes across the world. They sold aircraft to the Indonesian dictatorship of Suharto who then used them against East Timor, where 1/3 of the population were killed in the war. If the Saudi Royal family were overthrown by Islamicists, maybe all that British sold kit would be used against British soldiers one day.Et Etc. Saddam was armed by Britain - thanks to Maggie Thatcher! Doh!

While you maight agree with my first point, my second point will probably outrage you, but I don't care.

2) I don't think that any war fought by Britain - apart from our defence against Nazi Germany in WW2 - has been in our benefit. Suez 1956? No way! An imperialist catastrophe! The Falklands? Nope - 1000 dead Argentinian and British young men for a colony of only 2000 people!!! Stuff that! Iraq? For Bush and oil! Of course Iraq war is not in our interests! Absolutely not! All these wars have nothing to do with defending the British people. I'd have fought to defend these Islands from Fascism, but that's it. And of course, Fascism can come from domestic sources - often from a countries own army.

Smash BAE!!!

Barry Kade


Thanks Phillip...

01.11.2007 11:30

...you are an ignoramus, a troll, a member of the University Rugby team/Management student, or possibly all 4. anyway, aside from ad hominem attacks, well done to all involved. There has been a concerted campaign against BAe at Lancaster University for well over 10 years, including the consistent disruption over 3 years of their recruitment seminars held in the George Fox building: George Fox being the founder and inspiration of the Quakers, an avowedly pacifist religious group with very strong Lancaster connections. Lancaster Quakers joined in the campaign writing letters of condemnation to the University Careers Service. When BAe were reduced to getting 10 students into the seminar, 5 of whom were protesters, they called it a day. An unorthodox tactic used was to stick a notice announcing the cancellation of the seminar, on the door! Good to see the tradition being rejuvenated! Will upload pictures of previous die-ins and banner drops if I can find them. Slogan? "Alms For The Poor Not Arms For The Greedy!"

anarchoteapot


Nice one - let's do more....

01.11.2007 17:27


Excellent stuff,

Let's do more.....

In the recent past these actions took place on campus:

 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/manchester/2004/03/286571.html?c=on#comments

 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/03/364936.html

jezta


Phillip is right

01.11.2007 17:30


his analysis is spot on!!!

the only problem is that he is an ignorant, nationalist fool - indeed: no BAE, no Army, no UK - but that is a desirable outcome!

IM sirius


Excellent work !!!

07.11.2007 02:59

Brilliant work lads and ladies. We need more actions like this to expose these legalized murderers. I would request the organisers to promote the events broader as many of us within the university campuses don't know about them.

Thanks Phillip, for making the inference: no BAE systems hence no UK, as said earlier that's what we want. We the people of this world want the world, nothing less.

QuantumNihil


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