Approximately 40 protesters took to King’s Parade on Wednesday (04/05), calling for Cambridge to end all ties with fossil fuel companies.

Protesters condemned oil giants such as BP and Shell, arguing that they are “putting profits ahead of the planet”.

The protest, organised by Cambridge Climate Justice and the Student Union Ethical Affairs campaign, saw protesters come together in front of the Senate House, holding placards, chanting, and giving speeches.

Chants ranged from, “Listen up BP, listen up Shell, take your cash and go to hell,” to “The people, united, will never be defeated!”

The protesters were promoting the campaign Fossil Free Research, an international coalition calling for universities to stop accepting research funding from fossil fuel companies.

Sam Gee, a second-year natural sciences student from King’s and a member of the Fossil Free Research steering committee, gave a speech at the protest, saying: “The University does do good research, but the credibility of that is undermined when it works with the companies that are causing the crisis. And so it’s also an issue of solidarity with the people being harmed by this crisis.”

Speeches came from students linked to a range of organisations such as the Green Party, Boycott Banks’ Destruction, and End Fossil: Occupy!. Jason Scott-Warren, a professor in the English department, also gave a speech.

In 2020, the Cambridge Climate Justice group successfully lobbied alongside academics and community members for the University to stop all investment in fossil fuel companies. The movement now waits for Nigel Topping, the ‘High Level Climate Champion’ for COP26, to produce his report into the University’s links to the fossil fuel industry and whether or not action should be taken on research funding, which has been delayed.

The protest comes less than two weeks after Varsity revealed that the Department of Chemical Engineering has “paused” a scheme which gave oil companies say over academic content in exchange for money. In February, the activist group This Is Not A Drill vandalised the department building.

Mia Eldor-Levy, a CCJ campaigner and student at Emmanuel College, said: ”I think this is positive news. I’m very glad the pressure is working, as BP has had too much influence over the department and learning. This shows that it’s time for the university to finish the job and completely cut all ties with fossil fuels.”

A spokesperson for the University later commented: “Work is ongoing on the independent study authored by Nigel Topping, the UK government’s High Level Climate Action Champion for COP26, and as part of his research he has just hosted two well-attended all-staff and student meetings.”

They continued, “The Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology has paused its Teaching Consortium while it revises both syllabus and corporate engagement strategy.”

BP and Shell were approached for comment.