A pro-Palestine rally took place at the University’s Career Fair, forcing it to be relocated from the Exhibition Centre to Central Hall at midday on Wednesday 7th May.
The protest, which occupied the Exhibition Centre on the University’s Campus West, demanded that the University commit to cutting ties with companies allegedly linked to war crimes and funding Israeli military weapons manufacturing.
The University moved the Careers Fair to Central Hall following the disruption caused by the protest at the Exhibition Centre.
An anonymous member of the protest and student at the University told Vision that the University has invited companies linked to the Israeli military and alleged war crimes to the summer Careers Fair 2025.
These include Expleo who have worked alongside the Israeli military and the Royal Navy.
The anonymous protestor said: “The University has not listened to us over the past few years. We’ve protested, we’ve petitioned, but yet they still invite them back.”
The protest was promoted on Instagram by the York Palestine Encampment in a post which said: “The University of York has invited genocide-complicit and human right-violating organisations to our careers fair again.”
That said, the Royal Navy has never been convicted or charged with committing war crimes.
The University has previously received criticism for its links to companies funding weapons manufacturing through research funds and grants, which led to a Palestine protest outside the Autumn Careers Fair 2024.
An anonymous University of York Campus safety staff member said that the Careers Fair was moved due to “fire safety rules” and that the relocation “looks a lot more dramatic than it is”.
The University has responded with an email from Vice-Chancellor Charlie Jeffrey responding to the demands from student protesters concerned about the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza. The four demands relate to the University’s partnerships, technology use, and employer presence at career events.
While affirming students’ right to protest and acknowledging shared concerns, the University said the demands reduce debate and seek to impose one viewpoint on the wider academic community. It emphasized that such decisions must reflect a diversity of views and uphold academic freedom.
Vice-Chancellor Charlie Jeffery stressed the University’s role as a space for critical thinking and open dialogue, highlighting the value of its broad academic work including research connected to defence and security as part of its commitment to understanding complex global issues.