Protesters "Forcibly Entered" Building, Says UC, While Civil Rocket/Aerospace "Armaments" Investments Persist

4 June 2025. The New Zealand Reporter. This article: Making sense of competing claims made regarding UC's investment in "armaments" and clashes between protester and UC Security. Corrected to 5 June.

Source: J Joseph Bray, Instagram.

A protest at UC turned nasty, after protesters and security converged. UC has described protesters “forcibly” entering Matariki (formerly the Registry building). Meanwhile, a supporter of Students for Justice in Palestine Canterbury (SJP) has described UC Security’s efforts as involving “brutal assaults”.

According to the University of Canterbury and Trust Funds Group financial return for 2024, it had investments totaling $150.487 million. The 0.03% figure that UC mentioned would equate to an investment in rocket and aerospace manufacturer of about $45,000.

The NZR

SJP has also claimed that its tactics at UC have resulted in UC divesting “$280,000 from weapons and armaments”. UC has a small investment in “armaments” that “includes civil aerospace manufacturer or civilian rocket manufacturing.

SJP says it is seeking to force UC to “fully divest every dollar from weapons, armaments and companies complicit in apartheid Israel.”

The NZR has sought comment from SJP regarding allegations posted to its Instagram account. SJP has not replied.

It has also sought confirmation from UC regarding a protester sustaining a broken arm, the size of the investment, and whether anything else falls into the category of “armaments”.

In a post entitled “BREAKING - UC SECURITY BREAKS ARM AND ASSAULTS STUDENTS OVER PEACEFUL PROTEST”, SJP says it-

“led a rally and sit in at the University of Canterbury Matariki building to ask our Vice Chancellor why they had invested $300,000 in armaments after assuring students they had done no such thing.”

“The protest was shared to those at the rally and security as a ‘peaceful sit in’. Yet peaceful protesters were brutalized by members of security, who concussed students and even broke an arm.”

In a statement, UC said-

“The University of Canterbury respects and supports the rights of staff and students to engage in lawful, peaceful protest. UC values its engagement with students, recognising the student voice as an important part of academic life.”

“On 1 May, a peaceful protest involving approximately 40 students and members of the wider community was held in the Undercroft. Following this, a small sub-group forcibly entered Matariki building, disregarding reasonable security measures that ensure staff safety.”