Footage shows security guard hired by Edinburgh University pushing a student to the ground and putting his hand around his throat at a protest against the university’s decision not to divest from fossil fuels

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

A security guard hired by Edinburgh University has been filmed allegedly assaulting a student as he protests against the university’s decision not to divest from fossil fuels.

The footage, filmed by another protester, shows the security guard pushing the student to the ground and placing his hand around his throat.

He steps away from the prone protester after another guard pulls him away.

Security guard seen pushing a student to the ground and putting his hand around his throat.

Around 15 protesters had gathered at 8am on Thursday outside Charles Stewart House on Chambers Street, which houses the university’s finance department, to peacefully picket the building, after being refused access to the ongoing occupation of the central lobby inside.

Over 30 students began the sit-in last Wednesday following the decision by the university court the previous day not to divest from fossil fuels.

Speaking from inside the occupation, Kirsty Haigh of the Edinburgh University People and Planet group said that her fellow protesters were “very shaken” by the incident. She said that the police had been called and were currently taking witness statements relating to an allegation of assault.

Another protester, Eric Lai, condemned the guard’s actions. “We have been repeatedly told that the university supports our right to protest, but that couldn’t feel further from the truth.”

“The university have posted dozens of guards to the doors, and have now taken to intimidation and violence to shut us up. It is hard to imagine a more inappropriate way to handle student protest.”



The university told the Guardian that the security guard seen on the video was not a university employee, but had been “contracted in from a security group contracted to help manage and police the protest”.

An Edinburgh University spokesperson said: “The university is aware of, and deeply regrets, the unfortunate incident that is currently being played on social media. The matter is now in the hands of the police.”

“We continue to support the right of students to peacefully and lawfully demonstrate and theuniversity is using private security outside its buildings in Chambers Street in order to secure the safety of staff and students during the occupation.”



Police Scotland confirmed that they had detained two men for questioning in relation to the incident.

Climate change campaigners across the globe reacted with disappointment last week as Edinburgh University set out the unanimous decision by the court not to fully divest from fossil fuels.

Insisting that the university remained committed to a change of investment policy, senior vice principal Prof Charlie Jeffery said: “Our commitment is to engage before divestment, but the expectation is that we will bring about change by engagement.”

Outlining what is essentially a company-by-company approach, Jeffery said that the university would divest from companies involved in the extraction of coal and tar sands, only where feasible alternative sources of energy exist, and where companies do not invest in low carbon technologies.