British universities paid security firm to ‘spy’ on pro-Palestine students
Twelve British universities paid a private security firm to monitor student protesters and academics, including those expressing solidarity with Palestine. The firm, run by former military intelligence officials, conducted social media scans and background checks.
Twelve British universities paid a private firm, Horus Security Consultancy Limited, to monitor student protesters and academics. The firm, run by former military intelligence officials, was paid at least £440,000 since 2022. Horus scanned student social media feeds and conducted secret counter-terror threat assessments on behalf of elite institutions, including the University of Oxford and the London School of Economics. Monitored individuals included a Palestinian academic and a pro-Gaza PhD student. The University of Bristol provided Horus with a list of student protest groups to monitor, including pro-Palestinian activists. The universities claim the monitoring is to identify potential security risks, not to discourage activism.
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