Alwaght- British universities have been muzzling free speech on issues such as Palestine by insisting on tough yet ill-defined rules that events must be chaired by approved "independent" moderators, academics and students have said.
According to a report by the Middle East Eye, standard rules of non-interference on campus have been contradicted by training given to universities under the government's Prevent counter-extremism strategy. The guidance advises universities to ensure "independent and effective chairing" of events and to measure guests' views against issues - including Palestine and even opposition to Prevent - which may indicate signs of "extremism". Prevent is the name given to Britain's counter-extremism program.
The insistence on "independent chairs" has in the past month threatened the cancellation of events on human rights abuses in Palestine at the University of Cambridge and a discussion on the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israeli occupation at the London School of Economics.
In some cases, university objections were raised hours before the events were due to take place.
Earlier this month, the LSE told academics hosting an event on the BDS movement to replace the advertised chairwoman, Ayca Cubukcu, a Turkish academic who specialises in the Middle East, with an "independent" university appointee.
Cubukcu's removal from the event a day before it was due to take place, came after claims by a pro-Israeli activist that the institution was breaking its own rules on neutrality.
At the University of Cambridge, Dr Ruba Salih, a Palestinian academic from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, was scheduled to moderate an event on Palestinian rights by the local student-led Palestine society.
Hours before the event was due to take place, university officials threatened to close it down if it did not allow its director of communications, Paul Mylrea, to host the event.
At City University in London, a talk on the history of Palestine was postponed for more than two weeks after the university demanded an appointed chair host the event earlier this month.
