Lancaster University has brought criminal charges against six students and members of the local community for taking part in a peaceful protest against arms dealers, genetic modification and oil corporations on campus in September 2004.

Protestors had gone into Lecture Theatre 1 of the George Fox building at the university to hand out leaflets and talk to people at the "Corporate Venturing" Conference - a networking meeting for multinational corporations. Speakers at the conference were drawn from controversial arms manufacturer BAE Systems, Shell and other companies the six say have 'long histories of human rights abuses and environmental destruction'. Concerns were also raised about the commercialisation of university research. While delegates engaged some of the protestors in conversation security removed others from the lecture theatre. The demonstration then continued outside. The police were called and told the demonstrators they were doing nothing illegal.

Criminalisation of Protest

Five months later all six received a court summons for Aggravated Trespass. This is a criminal offence under the 1994 Criminal Justice Act and is defined as trespass 'with intent to intimidate, obstruct or disrupt'. This carries a maximum sentence of three months imprisonment. But trespass is a civil offence which means that the police need the university's approval to press charges, since only they can decide if the protesters were trespassing.

Commercialisation of Research

The students are understandably outraged, and refuse to be intimidated. 'I came to Lancaster University because of its reputation for free thinking,' said one. 'It has a duty to allow and even facilitate the expression of views opposing unethical companies and the university's involvement with them. It is wrong, and in the long term counterproductive, for an academic institution to ignore such concerns, let alone to prosecute those who raise them.'

Another added, 'It is particularly offensive to Quakers that the building which bears the name of their founders was used to house such a conference, when Quakers stand for free speech, fair trade and pacifism. The university has failed to grasp the wider implications of associations with unethical companies: on the one hand it strives to promote fair trade goods and to become a fair trade campus, whilst on the other it actively builds links with companies associated with human rights and environmental abuse.'

University Challenge: Freedom of Speech!

The supporters group are urging the university to drop the charges against the proterstors and to adopt a real Freedom of Speech Policy that doesn't allow criminalisation and persecution of peaceful protest. Many students, members of the public, the National Union of Students, Lancaster University Students' Union (and several other student's unions from other universities), Lancaster Quakers, Anne Sacks (Labour Candidate for Parliament in Lancaster & Wyre) and local councillors also support this call.

What You Can Do to Help

Phone Lancaster University between June 20th-24th on 01524 592001 and ask them to:

Drop all charges against the George Fox Six.

Adopt a proper freedom of speech policy which protects the right to
protest on campus.

Sever links with arms dealers, GM companies and other unethical
organisations.

What Else You Can Do

Write to the University Vice Chancellor Prof. Paul Wellings and urge him to drop the charges and to implement a new and proper Freedom of Speech Policy:
contact details and sample letter

Download a petition - get people to sign it and send it back to us when full.

Sign the online petition

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If you're a student at another university ask your union to pass a motion to support the George Fox 6, and ask your university if they have a policy of allowing peaceful protest.

Contact us to find out how you can help more:
George Fox 6 Supporters Group
The Basement
78a Penny St
Lancaster
01524 383012
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