Yesterday, the University of Exeter’s Student Union (SU) adopted ‘Right2Debate’, a policy designed to protect free speech while ensuring extreme and intolerant views are challenged. Rather than banning speakers, the policy will require event organisers to balance platforms when speakers who violate the SU’s safe space policies, are invited onto campus. It also requires these […]
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New briefing examines on-campus events in London
A new briefing released today by Student Rights examines the number of events featuring speakers with a history of extreme or intolerant views, or a history of involvement with extremist organisations, logged across London in the first four months of the 2015-16 academic year. Managing extreme speakers was highlighted by the government as part of […]
Continue readingAntisemitic graffiti reported at Goldsmiths College
Student Rights has long argued that antisemitism at UK universities remains a serious problem, and our latest briefing, ‘Antisemitism on Campus’, highlighted the various manifestations this form of racism can take, from incidents at on-campus events to activity on student society social media. Today, the Jewish Chronicle has reported “recurring incidents” of antisemitic graffiti at […]
Continue readingKCL student convicted of terror offences (Update: Student given life sentence)
Update 22/04/2016: Majeed has been given a life sentence and will serve a minimum tariff of 20 years. Suhaib Majeed, a physics student at King’s College London (KCL), has been convicted today of conspiracy to murder and preparation of terrorist acts. Found guilty of firearms possession yesterday, Majeed and school friend Tarik Hassane, who had […]
Continue readingProtest for free speech outside NUS offices
Yesterday, Student Rights attended a protest outside the National Union of Students (NUS) office in London which rallied various free speech groups in opposition to the increasing censorship seen on university campuses. This has included human rights activist Maryam Namazie being banned from Warwick, as well as attempts to stop her speaking at Goldsmiths by […]
Continue readingMoazzam Begg challenged at the University of Exeter
Here at Student Rights, we have often highlighted the need to ensure extremists face challenge on-campus, and encourage students to debate speakers with extreme and intolerant views. Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen enough. Unbalanced platforms and hostile environments which suppress views different to the panellists often result in students’ voices being marginalised. On Tuesday, students at […]
Continue readingWestminster student named in Islamic State documents
Last week saw the publication of thousands of Islamic State (IS) documents reveal the name of another student from the University of Westminster who had travelled to Syria to fight alongside the terrorist group. The Telegraph has reported that the files include the details of 18 year old Mohammed Jackir Ali, who dropped out of […]
Continue readingStudent Voice: Hamza Tzortzis at UKC
President of the University of Kent ASH Society, Peter Keeling, gives his take on seeing Hamza Tzortzis appear on campus following Gino Ragnoli’s blog on Tzortzis’ Leicester appearance. All views are his own, and do not necessarily represent those of Student Rights… Hamza’s Tzortzis’ talk, entitled ‘YOLO’, was given to a well-attended lecture theatre, although […]
Continue readingNew Student Rights briefing details campus antisemitism
While isolated claims of antisemitism have long been made on UK campuses, the issue was recently brought to the forefront of the public debate by allegations made against members of the Oxford University Labour Club (OULC). While the scale of these allegations was shocking, Student Rights has long argued that antisemitism is a serious problem […]
Continue readingStudent Voice: Hamza Tzortzis at the University of Leicester
The argument often used when extreme or intolerant speakers appear on campus is that it exposes their views to challenge from students, but in our experience this doesn’t happen often enough. Here, Gino Ragnoli, Treasurer of the University of Leicester Atheist, Humanist and Secular Society, details his attempts to do so when Hamza Tzortzis appeared […]
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