Palestine protesters show up disgraced University of Bristol in an illuminating way

Palestine campaigners have thrown a spotlight – almost quite literally – on the University of Bristol’s complicity in Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

Bristol Palestine protesters shine a light on university’s complicity in Gaza genocide

On the opening weekend (Friday 31 January – Sunday 2 February) of Bristol Light Festival 2025, activists hijacked the iconic 215ft walls of Wills Memorial Tower to send a message to the university neck-deep in arms industry investments.

They mounted a dramatic laser display, projecting the figure of £92,890,934 and other protest slogans, onto the tower, one of the highest buildings in Bristol:

Flashing in different colours, the projection shifted message:

The light display reminded the university that its arms industry ties should be a source of immense shame:

University’s shameful arms industry links

Activists hijacked the tower to highlight the university’s massive arms industry links – the fourth highest of any university in the country.

Notably, research by the group Demilitarise Education shows the University of Bristol has over £92m of arms industry partnerships – a colossal sum. It includes companies that supply weapons to Israel which it will have used in the recent genocide in Gaza.

These companies include Airbus, BAE Systems, Boeing, Cobham, General Dynamics, General Electric, GKN, Leonardo, Northrop Grumman, QinetiQ, Rolls Royce, and Thales.

On top of this, the University of Bristol banks with arms financier Barclays. The company holds over £2bn in shares, and provides over £6bn in loans and underwriting to nine companies whose weapons, components and military technology Israel is using in its attacks on Palestinians.

Activists coincided the projection with a march for Palestine that campaigners and students hosted across the city.

Bristol Palestine Alliance: projecting the truth for all to see

Protesters that carried out the dramatic projection said:

Bristol has a long tradition of radical art and protest. Banksy has led the way with politically-savvy street-art. And more recently the group “Led by Donkeys” has taken art, activism, and accountability even further. We decided it was time for us to step-up and project the truth about the University of Bristol for everyone to see!

They added:

Our so-called prestigious university has one of the biggest partnerships with arms companies anywhere in this country. How obscene is that? Over the last fifteen months we’ve seen the most apocalyptic and gut-wrenching mass slaughter and societal destruction in Gaza. People are shocked to hear that some of that could be due to the research going on here in our city university.

We felt we had to go out and write that massive £92,890,934 number so everyone could see it. Where better than on the Wills Memorial tower, an iconic part of the university, which can be seen from all across the city.

And when better than during the Light Festival when people are out and about looking for dramatic light shows. This felt like the right time to let Bristol people know what is going on in our ivory towers and hopefully set the wheels in motion to bring it to a halt

Featured image and additional images supplied