Protesters occupied the building where the event was held.
Earlier today, protesters from Edinburgh University Justice for Palestinian Society (EUJPS) and People and Planet Edinburgh disrupted the University of Edinburgh’s Engineering Careers Fair.
Protesters were seen giving speeches, which were posted on Instagram, and holding signs and Palestinian flags on walls.
Earlier that month, EUJPS staged a protest at a major university career fair, leading to Amazon representatives leaving the event early.
Protesters primarily targeted four companies attending the event: GE Aerospace UK, Honeywell, JCB and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Limited.
EUJPS said these companies are being targeted because of their suspected links or involvement with the Israeli state and military. Honeywell and Siemens are on the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) list, a Palestinian-led protest movement aimed at putting “nonviolent pressure on Israel.”
A spokesperson for EUJPS said, “Students have the right to know all the facts when choosing a career path, but we are only providing the facts that universities want to hide.”
Protesters placed posters and flags in the windows of the fair.
In response to the protests, a university spokesperson said: “Our career services provide support, information and access to a wide range of industry and professional networks to help students make informed choices about their future. We will support you.
“It is with great sadness that small group activities have prevented students from fully engaging with all companies at today’s Careers in Engineering Fair, which is held to support students’ professional development. I feel sorry for you.”
The protest was part of a long series of protests since the conflict escalated in Gaza on October 7, 2023. Earlier this month, the university’s career fair was suspended, and the EUJPS Martyrs Monument was rebuilt following an announcement from the university. A dedicated space will be created for this purpose.
Previous protests have included a sit-in protest at the university’s main library, as well as hunger strikes and occupations of buildings and the former university quad.
A university spokesperson continued: “We respect the right to peaceful and lawful protest, but this does not apply to disrupting university events or occupying space within buildings.
“Today’s actions impacted the jobs and health of our broader community, students, staff and third party organizations. Most employers continued to participate and the event was attended by many students. I would like to express my sincere apologies to all the students who attended the career fair today but did not have the experience they had hoped for.
“The university has been in dialogue with student movement participants for some time and has made it clear that violations of the student code of conduct will result in disciplinary action.”
EUJPS reiterated that it will continue its university-wide action until the group’s demands are met.
The EUJPS statement can be found below.
30 October 2024 — Today, Edinburgh University for Palestine Social Justice (EUJPS) and People and Planet Edinburgh suspended the university’s Engineering Careers Fair. EUJPS visited the King’s Building Campus and demonstrated in front of the booths of GE Aerospace UK, Honeywell, JCB and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Limited, which are actively contributing to the genocide in Palestine. .
“We want everyone in attendance to know that the University continues to engage with those who enable genocide and encourages our students to engage with them as well. Students will know all the facts when choosing a career path. We have the right to do so, but we are only providing facts that the university wants to hide,” said an EUJPS spokesperson.
Honeywell is on the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) list for manufacturing the F-35 Lightning II jet, and the US and UK continue to provide F-35s to Israel, which is responsible for the genocide of Palestinians. GE also makes engines for other jets and helicopters used in the genocide, and is providing turbines to Israel for a wind farm in the occupied Syrian Golan. JCB provides bulldozers and other construction equipment to Israeli settlers, which they use to demolish Palestinian homes. Finally, Siemens, also on the BDS list, is complicit in Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine, including East Jerusalem, through the construction of the Euro-Asia Interconnector, a power grid that sustains illegal settlements.
“The fact that the university welcomes companies involved in war crimes to its career fair shows that the university does not care about Palestine at all.In fact, this shows that the university is welcoming companies involved in war crimes to its career fair. It shows acceptance of its genocidal campaign,” the EUJPS spokesperson continued.
EUJPS reiterated that it will continue to take university-wide action until the university accepts the group’s demands and ceases its association with the actors of genocide.
The University of Edinburgh’s statement can be found below.
A university spokesperson said: “Our career services provide support, information and access to a wide range of industry and professional networks to help students make informed choices about their future. We will support you.
“We are very disappointed that small group activities have prevented students from fully engaging with all companies at today’s Careers in Engineering Fair, which is held to support students’ professional development. I’m thinking.
“We respect the right to peaceful and lawful protest, but this does not apply to disrupting university events or occupying space within buildings.
“Today’s actions impacted the jobs and health of our broader community, students, staff and third party organizations. Most employers continued to participate and the event was attended by many students. I would like to express my sincere apologies to all the students who attended the career fair today but did not have the experience they had hoped for.
“The university has been in dialogue with student protesters for some time and has made it clear that violations of the student code of conduct will result in disciplinary action.”
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