Four activist groups targeted a recruitment fair at the University of Sheffield’s Octagon centre this week to raise awareness of unethical practises by some graduate recruiters.
Environmentalist group People & Planet emptied buckets of charcoal over the stall of energy company E-ON at the annual Yorkshire Autumn Graduate Recruitment Fair.
The group also handed out leaflets condemning the company’s decision to build more coal power stations.
Local animal rights campaigners Sheffield Animal Friends also distributed leaflets and unravelled a banner reading ‘Procter & Gamble poison animals’ in front of the Procter & Gamble stall.
Anti-military group Kick ’Em Off Campus, whose attempt to hang a banner reading ‘Keep your bloody hands off our students’ on the bridge connecting the Octagon and University House was quashed by security, protested in front of the Octagon centre.
No Sweat, who campaign against sweat shops, handed out leaflets highlighting the horrendous conditions some workers are subject to in labour factories. Their campaign was aimed at companies such as Tesco, Asda and Wal-Mart, who were at the fair.
University security acted quickly to halt the two protests that made it inside the Octagon. All groups were allowed to protest in front of the steps of the Octagon.
People & Planet is the largest student network in Britain campaigning to end world poverty, defend human rights, and protect the environment.
Maddie Heyes, of Sheffield People & Planet, said: "We protested against E-ON’s plans to build new coal power plants because coal is the dirtiest fuel in terms of carbon emissions.
"It is quite frankly outrageous that they can decide to do this at a time when we should be looking to invest in renewable energies in an attempt to overcome climate change.
"We decided to protest today because students need to get up off their arses to make a difference in this world and to save it for future generations."
Sheffield Animal Friends frequently demonstrate around the city and South Yorkshire against fur, vivisection, and meat industries.
Group member Jonny Mears said: "Procter & Gamble are notorious for testing on animals. They constantly test chemicals and ingredients on animals while producing misleading information which suggests they don’t.
"It is currently illegal to test on animals for cosmetics in the UK but until 2013 products tested on animals abroad can still be sold in this country.
"Procter & Gamble’s Herbal Essences developed a chemical which was force-fed to thousands of rats; it is this sort of abuse we’re against," said Jonny Mears, of Sheffield Animal Friends.
Kick ’Em Off Campus are currently campaigning to remove military recruitment and associations with Officer Training Corps (OTC) from campus.
Their protest was aimed at the armed forces and companies which deal in the arms trade such, as BAE systems.
A spokesperson for the group said: "It was an attempt to keep a visible presence on campus and to make a stand against military recruiters that use careers fairs as a way of recruiting students.
"We were unsuccessful in an attempt to put our banner up inside.
"We were told we had breached the Public Order Act and were not even allowed to stand on the steps of the Octagon because it is University property.
"Subsequently to us being asked to leave, the University security were asking students who typically had a certain appearance, such as having dreadlocks, if they were anything to do with us. This is outrageous."
The University has defended its actions in ejecting protesters from the recruitment fair.
A University spokesperson said: "The University of Sheffield supports freedom of speech and the right of students to express their views within the law.
"In relation to the Graduate Recruitment Fair, our security staff allowed the protest to go ahead, but had to balance this with the needs of students and recruiters who wished to discuss potential employment opportunities within the Octagon Centre.
"For that reason, to avoid disruption to the Recruitment Fair, security staff politely requested that the protesting groups move to the Octagon steps where they could continue their protest without preventing the business of the Fair itself.
"The groups involved agreed to do so."
Environmentalist group People & Planet emptied buckets of charcoal over the stall of energy company E-ON at the annual Yorkshire Autumn Graduate Recruitment Fair.
The group also handed out leaflets condemning the company’s decision to build more coal power stations.
Local animal rights campaigners Sheffield Animal Friends also distributed leaflets and unravelled a banner reading ‘Procter & Gamble poison animals’ in front of the Procter & Gamble stall.
Anti-military group Kick ’Em Off Campus, whose attempt to hang a banner reading ‘Keep your bloody hands off our students’ on the bridge connecting the Octagon and University House was quashed by security, protested in front of the Octagon centre.
No Sweat, who campaign against sweat shops, handed out leaflets highlighting the horrendous conditions some workers are subject to in labour factories. Their campaign was aimed at companies such as Tesco, Asda and Wal-Mart, who were at the fair.
University security acted quickly to halt the two protests that made it inside the Octagon. All groups were allowed to protest in front of the steps of the Octagon.
People & Planet is the largest student network in Britain campaigning to end world poverty, defend human rights, and protect the environment.
Maddie Heyes, of Sheffield People & Planet, said: "We protested against E-ON’s plans to build new coal power plants because coal is the dirtiest fuel in terms of carbon emissions.
"It is quite frankly outrageous that they can decide to do this at a time when we should be looking to invest in renewable energies in an attempt to overcome climate change.
"We decided to protest today because students need to get up off their arses to make a difference in this world and to save it for future generations."
Sheffield Animal Friends frequently demonstrate around the city and South Yorkshire against fur, vivisection, and meat industries.
Group member Jonny Mears said: "Procter & Gamble are notorious for testing on animals. They constantly test chemicals and ingredients on animals while producing misleading information which suggests they don’t.
"It is currently illegal to test on animals for cosmetics in the UK but until 2013 products tested on animals abroad can still be sold in this country.
"Procter & Gamble’s Herbal Essences developed a chemical which was force-fed to thousands of rats; it is this sort of abuse we’re against," said Jonny Mears, of Sheffield Animal Friends.
Kick ’Em Off Campus are currently campaigning to remove military recruitment and associations with Officer Training Corps (OTC) from campus.
Their protest was aimed at the armed forces and companies which deal in the arms trade such, as BAE systems.
A spokesperson for the group said: "It was an attempt to keep a visible presence on campus and to make a stand against military recruiters that use careers fairs as a way of recruiting students.
"We were unsuccessful in an attempt to put our banner up inside.
"We were told we had breached the Public Order Act and were not even allowed to stand on the steps of the Octagon because it is University property.
"Subsequently to us being asked to leave, the University security were asking students who typically had a certain appearance, such as having dreadlocks, if they were anything to do with us. This is outrageous."
The University has defended its actions in ejecting protesters from the recruitment fair.
A University spokesperson said: "The University of Sheffield supports freedom of speech and the right of students to express their views within the law.
"In relation to the Graduate Recruitment Fair, our security staff allowed the protest to go ahead, but had to balance this with the needs of students and recruiters who wished to discuss potential employment opportunities within the Octagon Centre.
"For that reason, to avoid disruption to the Recruitment Fair, security staff politely requested that the protesting groups move to the Octagon steps where they could continue their protest without preventing the business of the Fair itself.
"The groups involved agreed to do so."
Rob Golledge
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