Scottish University agreed to ‘monitor’ students for weapons company supplying IDF, emails reveal

A free speech row has erupted at an Edinburgh university after security agreed to “monitor” students for a weapons firm, which supplies the Israeli military, worried about attracting “unwanted attention” at a careers fair.

Emails obtained by Liberty Investigates and the Herald reveal how Heriot-Watt University (HWU) staff agreed to a range of security measures requested by Raytheon UK to detect and deter potential protests earlier this year, in what a teaching union claimed amounted to “spying on its own students on the company’s behalf”.

The university hosted two defence companies at its student careers fair on 20 February this year, Raytheon UK and Leonardo, both of which make parts for F-35 fighter jets used to bomb Gaza, according to research by the Campaign Against the Arms Trade.

The emails, obtained under freedom of information laws, show how a member of the university’s safeguarding team agreed to a series of additional precautions requested by Raytheon UK’s security manager three weeks before the event.

These included a request to “monitor university chat groups and notice boards” for intel on planned protests and having an “enhanced” physical presence on the day to ensure the safety of Raytheon UK’s employees.

Katie Wood, a HWU student and president of the Society for Progressive Students told the Herald that she was “disappointed and ashamed” at the university’s response to the company’s requests.

She said: “This kind of move damages the trust that students have in safeguarding about their ability to make decisions that will protect students and put them first.

“As a student, I would have respected them more if they had just said, ‘that’s not within our capabilities, that’s not something we’re going to actively do, but if something happens on campus, we’ll be there to deal with any situation that arises.’”

On 31 January 2025, Raytheon UK’s security manager wrote to HWU’s safeguarding team to inform them that the company’s presence on campuses has previously drawn “unwanted attention from protest groups, including university students” and requested help ahead of the February careers event.

The manager wrote that they had previously performed a “pretty thorough recce” of the university’s James Watt Centre, where the careers fair was being hosted, and was “really pleased” with the CCTV coverage, venue layout and controlled entry.

Raytheon UK’s attendance was not to be advertised prior to the event, according to the email.

The manager added that they “appreciated” support received from the university at the previous year’s fair and hoped the safeguarding team would again help to “safeguard the Raytheon employees attending” this year.

The Raytheon UK employee asked HWU to implement additional measures, including three specific requests of the safeguarding team:

• “Monitor the university chat groups and notice boards in the lead up to the event in case any groups are planning to disrupt the event, as we have had this occasionally at university events in the past.”
• “Monitor the campus CCTV prior to and during the event in case any groups are seen gathering that may be intent on a protest or simply disrupting the event.”
• “Prior to and during the event carry out enhanced patrols around the venue entrance and perhaps enter the venue occasionally to show a presence and act as a deterrent.”

The Raytheon UK employee wrote that they had no information to suggest any protest or disruption was planned, nor did they provide any examples of their employees being harmed or subjected to otherwise unlawful protest on other campuses.

On 5 February, a HWU employee replied: “Not a problem, we will support this event in the same way as last year and to [sic] implement the measures you have suggested.

“If there is anything else we can assist with this, then please do not hesitate to let me know.”

There was no demonstration during the career event in question.

Despite not challenging Raytheon’s requests at the time, a university  spokesperson has since said that its safeguarding team “does not have access to chat groups or online discussion forums” and were not involved in any “improper monitoring”. They regularly check physical noticeboards to ensure flyers comply with university values, the spokesperson said.

They added: “Heriot-Watt University fully supports the right to freedom of expression and peaceful protest, provided these activities are conducted lawfully and within the framework of university policies.”

“Like all universities, we must balance this right with our responsibility to ensure the safety, wellbeing, and uninterrupted academic experience of the wider community.”

“In the event of a protest or demonstration, the role of our safeguarding team is to observe and support the safety and wellbeing of all participants.”

The university did not respond to initial questions about why it did not explicitly refuse to monitor student chats, but it has since said that it does not have access to such chat groups.

In the email exchange between the Raytheon UK employee and HWU, safeguarding concerns are only referenced in relation to Raytheon employees. All references to HWU students or potential protestors are in the context of “disruption” or “unwanted attention”.

The university’s spokesperson did not reply when asked whether supporting the safety and wellbeing of demonstrators included discouraging any demonstration from taking place.

A Raytheon UK spokesperson said that it works with hosts to conduct thorough security assessments on behalf of all participants ahead of any career event.

They added: “Raytheon UK, like other large employers, regularly meets with university students interested in exploring aerospace careers. Raytheon UK is proud to be a longstanding employer in the United Kingdom with pathways to robust careers in advanced technology.”

Raytheon UK’s website describes the company as “focused on defence, aerospace, cyber & intelligence with sites across the UK”. In the emails with HWU, the Raytheon employee indicates that the company’s status as “one of the biggest defence industry companies in the world” is the reason it sometimes draws protests from student groups.

Raytheon UK did not reply when asked if it only discussed aerospace careers with attendees.

Jinsella Kennaway, co-founder and executive director of campaign group Demilitarise Education, added: “Universities should prioritise student welfare and democratic freedoms, not the demands of arms companies.”

Jo Grady, general secretary of the University and College Union (UCU), which represents teaching staff, said the revelation that Heriot-Watt was “spying on its own students on [Raytheon’s] behalf is a scandal and plumbs new depths”. She called on the university to “stop colluding with arms companies and protect democratic space for students to protest”.

The UCU has previously warned of a “worsening crackdown” on freedom of speech for pro-Palestinian activists on UK campuses.

As many as 113 staff and students had faced disciplinary action in connection with pro-Gaza protest activity, including demos at careers events, between October 2023 and August 2024, according to an investigation by Liberty Investigates and Sky News.

The news comes after England’s High Court ruled this month that the UK’s decision to allow the export of F-35 fighter jet components to Israel was lawful, despite accepting they could be used to breach humanitarian law in Gaza.

A version of this article was published by the Herald.