Cambridge students threatened with eviction for displaying ‘any poster, flag or banner’

Several students at Jesus College received an email yesterday (20/04) asking them to remove “any poster, flag or banner [displayed] internally or externally” from their College property. This includes posters relating to any political parties, Pride flags, and divestment posters from Jesus College Climate Justice Campaign (JCCJC). 

According to the email, if students do not remove the posters, flags or banners, they could face eviction.

The email read: “As you are aware it is a breach of the terms of your Licence agreement to display any poster, flag or banner internally or externally from the Property.

“The College will take further action if you fail to put right the breach, which could ultimately result in the Licence agreement being terminated in line with Clause 6.1.”

This follows a previous email on 19th March from the Domestic Bursar which had given students a deadline of 24th March to remove the posters.

Aurelio Petrucci, former President of the Jesus College Students’ Union (JCSU), criticised the move for adding to “the stress and anxiety students are already feeling about the pandemic and their exams by threatening to evict students for exercising their basic right to self expression.” He hopes that Jesus College “reconsiders the policy and apologises for the needless hurt they have caused.”

Not content with asking students to remove pride flags, @JesusCollegeCam is now threatening students with EVICTION for displaying political party posters. is this legal???! https://t.co/agFx38kUOH pic.twitter.com/ODjf0Daljf

— Aurelio (@aureIiopetrucci) April 20, 2021

The JCCJC said that because students are “locked out of the key College committee where its investment policy is decided, divestment posters are just one completely harmless way students are trying urgently to make their voices heard on one of the most important issues of our time.” The JCCJC also called the decision “unnecessary” given the College “has already said it will be reviewing the needlessly restrictive license agreement anyway.”

A report from the JCCJC released today (21/04) revealed that Jesus College invests a minimum of £5.15 million in what the campaign describe as “global exploiters and polluters”, including fossil fuel companies and other major polluting sectors.

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When contacted for comment, a spokesperson for Jesus College said: “The rules on displaying any flags, banners or posters are a long-standing clause in our license agreement. We have asked that everyone living in College accommodation abides by the agreement they signed. We encourage all community members to express themselves and their views, as long as it doesn’t break their license agreement or the law. We have informed students that we will run an in-depth consultation this term with students, Fellows and staff about the most inventive and creative ways to enable this in College for the benefit of the whole community.”

Credit: N Chadwick, Creative Commons License

They continued: “In the meantime, we have asked that anyone living in College accommodation remove any displayed flag, banner or poster. We contacted all students twice about this in March; we are now contacting the few students who have not yet followed our request, or let us know that they are not in Cambridge at present, to remind them of their license agreement terms.”

Jesus College faced backlash from students in March when the Head Porter asked students to remove “all flags and banners” from windows and walls at the end of LGBT+ History Month. While the College said that it was “very supportive of LGBT+ History Month and other LGBT+ events and initiatives throughout the year”, the JCSU LGBT+ Officer at the time described the College’s actions as “disrespectful and flippant.”

Queens’ College also faced controversy in Michaelmas Term after asking students to take down trans and Pride flags displayed from students’ windows. In an email to students on 20th November, the College said that this was because they have “a legal obligation not to engage in political activity and to preserve freedom of expression for all.” The email added that “the flying of flags generates strong feelings and we receive complaints from the public as well as members of college about our custodianship of historic buildings.”

Feature image credit: Jesusgreen, Creative Commons License 

Related articles recommended by this author:

• Student report finds £5.15m of Jesus College investments go to ‘global exploiters and polluters’

• Students react to Jesus College order to remove ‘all flags’ now that ‘time of commemoration’ is over

• It is time for Cambridge colleges to stop sending mixed messages about pride flags