UK universities paid security firm to monitor pro-Palestine students and academics: Report

A joint investigation reveals a network of UK universities paid a private security firm to monitor the social media and activities of students and staff involved in pro-Palestine advocacy. | Contesto: cronaca

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• UK universities paid security firm to monitor pro-Palestine students and academics: Report

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Twelve British universities have paid a private security firm run by former military intelligence officials to monitor students and academics, with a specific focus on those expressing solidarity with Palestine, according to a new investigation. The joint report by Al Jazeera and Liberty Investigates found that Horus Security received at least £440,000 from the institutions since 2022 to surveil social media activity and conduct counterterror threat assessments. Among those monitored were a Palestinian academic invited to speak at Manchester Metropolitan University and a pro-Palestine PhD student at the London School of Economics. The universities implicated include some of the UK's most prestigious institutions: the University of Oxford, Imperial College London, University College London (UCL), King’s College London (KCL), the University of Sheffield, the University of Leicester, the University of Nottingham, and Cardiff Metropolitan University, alongside Manchester Metropolitan University and LSE. The scale of the contracts, detailed in internal documents, suggests a coordinated, sector-wide approach to surveillance of campus activism related to Palestine, raising immediate questions about academic freedom and the right to protest. The involvement of Horus Security, a firm staffed by ex-military intelligence personnel, marks a significant shift in how universities manage campus security and political discourse. The firm's remit extended beyond physical safety to include digital monitoring, analyzing online posts and activities for perceived threats. This practice effectively outsourced the monitoring of lawful political expression to a private entity with a national security background, potentially conflating activism with terrorism risk in a manner criticized by civil liberties groups. The revelation has ignited a fierce debate about the chilling effect such surveillance could have on university life. Academics and student unions argue that monitoring individuals based on their political views, particularly regarding Palestine, constitutes a profound infringement on freedom of speech and association. It creates an environment where students and staff may...

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Categoria: cronaca