Student Protests Lead to KCL Cutting Ties with Controversial Arms Companies
King’s College London (KCL) has decided to halt direct investments in suppliers of weapons to the Israeli military following student protests in solidarity with Gaza. The university will no longer invest in companies involved in the production of controversial weapons such as cluster bombs, land mines, and depleted uranium munitions.
Hassan Ali, the Vice President of Welfare and Community at King’s College London Students’ Union, announced on Instagram on Wednesday, “After a series of extensive negotiations, I am pleased to announce that we have reached an agreement with King’s College London to revise their investment policies in light of the genocide taking place in Palestine.” Ali explained that withdrawing investments from companies involved in arms production for Israel was one of the three demands made by students to KCL leaders. The other two demands included KCL helping to rebuild Gaza’s educational institutions and halting indirect investments in banks and financial institutions supporting Israel.
This divestment will ensure that KCL ends all direct investments in companies like Lockheed Martin, L3Harris Technologies, and Boeing, which are known for leading military supplies to the Israeli military and producing controversial weapons. KCL’s finance executives have approved the policy change and have begun implementing it. However, the agreement will be formalized and officially announced at the next investment committee meeting in October.
Click here for the source.
