Revealed: Manchester Uni spent £104k on pro-Palestine protest security within nine months

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request obtained by The Manchester Tab has revealed how much money the University of Manchester spent on addressing disruptions caused by student protests.

According to the institution, the constant security costs of protests and encampments between October 2023 and June 2024 came to £71,289.19, not inclusive of overtime during the period, which totalled £33,192.31.

In total, this means the university spent just over £104,000 on security for these protests at that time.

The university also revealed that its annual security budget for 24/25 was £5.2 million.

In a yearly financial report published by the university, a breakdown of annual budgets placed staff costs at £692 million, whilst the cost of running the estate was £201 million.

An encampment was set up in spring 2024 by The Manchester Camp of Resistance for Palestine, before clearing last June.

Protesters called for the university to cut all ties with BAE Systems, Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Financial reports showed that during the 23/24 financial year, the university received £829,000 in income from BAE Systems.

BAE Systems is a multinational aerospace, defence and information company, that has partnered with the university since 2017. The business is the seventh largest defence contractor internationally.

Adam, who was involved with the encampment and now organises Youth Front for Palestine, said: “Students and staff are disgusted by our university collaborating with BAE Systems to research weapons of murder. We will always keep fighting to make sure our university ends its ties with imperialism and Zionism, such as its research with BAE Systems and its academic ties with Tel Aviv University.”

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Another spokesperson from Youth Front for Palestine continued: “Whilst we are disgusted by the continued acceptance of money from BAE Systems it unfortunately comes as no surprise, not at a University which has recently announced it will renew its partnership with Tel Aviv University, an institution deeply involved in Israel’s military and intelligence networks.

Following the closure of encampments on university property, the Students’ Union and the university released the following statement: “We, UMSU and the University of Manchester share a commitment to maintaining a supportive and responsive environment for all students.

“We will continue to work collaboratively in a strong partnership to enable our university community to come together and discuss topical and challenging issues in a constructive and inclusive way, building on a similar recent event on freedom of speech and University Finances. We will continue to use a structured and collaborative process to address concerns raised by the University student community, through the Students’ Union Executive Officers.”

A University of Manchester spokesperson told The Manchester Tab: “The University gives careful consideration to its research collaborations and follows all government legislation and guidance alongside our own robust processes. The University carries out due diligence on all collaborations informed by the latest information and guidance.”

BAE Systems has been contacted for comment but has not yet responded.