‘It’s abhorrent’: Students voice concerns over Islamophobia in Exeter Uni society

Exeter’s Freedom Society, a place “for intellectually curious right-wing students”, is under fire for alleged instances of Islamophobia.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that a speaker at a Freedom Society event made a number of Islamophobic comments. The speaker said White British people are facing an “ethnic displacement” by Muslims, adding: “We’re being genocided.”

The event was about “two-tier policing”, and when the speaker asked what he’d do if he were in charge, he said: “There would be no minorities to police”.

The society was investigated, and has faced significant backlash from students since Exeposé’s article on the event.

However, this is not the first time Freedom Society has faced similar student-led opposition.

In 2022, an open letter published by the Feminist Society condemned the society’s talk titled “Daddy Issues: The Crisis of Fatherlessness”, calling it “inflammatory” and of “deep concern”. Other more recent talks included Trumpnomenon, Immigration: The Forever Lie, and Woke Academia.

In the past, the Exeter Students’ Guild has been steadfast in upholding the right of students and societies to free speech. However, this incident has left many wondering whether the Guild should step in for situations like this.

The Exeter Tab asked students for their opinions on whether or not action should be taken against those societies that spread potentially harmful and divisive rhetoric.

A recent graduate said they welcomed the idea of university action against the spread of harmful “agendas” within the University of Exeter.

Another current student recognised the Guild’s commitment to upholding free speech, but highlighted Exeter’s duty to prevent the spread of misinformation and dangerous rhetoric within the student societies. They say the inaction of the University is “irresponsible” and “negligent”.

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On the other side of the debate, one student agreed that the Guild should encourage the creation of “platforms for debate”, “posing questions” and conversation.

A third student on Facebook’s Overheard at Uni of Exeter group continued, saying that it might be good for to allow controversial opinions to be discussed in a “safe environment” where they can “try to develop their understanding of such things”.

They then continued by saying: “As long as they’re not acting out because of their beliefs in public, surely suspension does harm, not good?”

via Facebook

Youth Demand Exeter, however, counters this by highlighting the dangers posed to students if these ideas are allowed to spread: “Islamophobic and racist rhetoric like Freedom’s encourages violent action against racial and religious minorities which cannot be ignored.”

They, alongside other students, call for action from Exeter as the university has a duty to act reasonably to protect the health, safety and welfare of their students.

When contacted for a statement, student societies voiced their concerns. Exeter’s Socialists Society called this behaviour “abhorrent”, whilst the Feminist Society echoed concern for students, saying: “Allowing such a speaker to share the views they did…has actively discouraged political engagement through fear of not being respected.”

It is along these lines that they, alongside many student-led societies, have also condemned and demanded action from the Student Guild. The hashtags #UnitedAgainstIslamophobia, #RacismOffCampus and #ExeterStudentGuild have flooded social media by those demanding Guild action.

In an open letter to the Guild, signed by over 60 Exeter societies and counting, students have begun to pressure the Student Guild and the university into taking action. Representatives outlined not only the instances of anti-immigrant rhetoric but also demanded action to prevent further opportunities for Islamophobia, sexism, or other forms of discriminatory speech. We asked the organisers for their thoughts on the conversation surrounding freedom of speech.

They wrote: “It is hard to see how Freedom Society’s comments and conduct are not a threat to the rights and freedoms of those targeted by the society.

“Inciting racial hatred, spreading misinformation and enforcing white supremacist neo-Nazi ideologies is in direct conflict with the right not to be discriminated against (Article 14 of the Human Rights Act).”

They continued: “Students of colour, those who are Muslim and students who belong to any other minority group deserve to be protected from harassment and to feel safe in our community at all times- this is not just from a social standpoint, but a legal one.”

The University’s policy on free speech does highlight “the need, on occasion, to balance the right to freedom of speech against the need reasonably to protect the rights of others.” So, as several students have commented, it is possible to see how the actions of Freedom Society may fulfil this condition for university action.

As the student organisers explained, for the University “to remain neutral is to accept this inappropriate behaviour, neglecting their duty of care towards all members of our community.”

The Guild posted a response to the open letter online.

Whether it be moderating speeches, implementing restrictions or a full ban, there is a clear student desire for change. However, it is clear that, with or without action from the Guild, students are willing and eager to take action. A recent petition titled “Stop Hosting Hate: Urge Exeter Venues To Reject Freedom Society Events” has over 200 signatures with the goal of preventing the society from holding its controversial talks. Similarly, student-led disruption at the most recent Freedom Society Pint and Policy event meant that their planned talk was unable to go ahead.

In response to the allegations and subsequent articles by Exeposé and The Exeter Tab, Freedom Society has posted its own statement, emphasising its firm stance against Islamophobia and “all forms of discrimination that threaten free expression”.

An Exeter Students’ Guild spokesperson told The Exeter Tab: “We are proud to see you come together to stand in solidarity against Islamophobia and in support of our Muslim students. Islamophobia has no place within student life, our campus, or the wider community. We are taking this seriously. We want to reassure our students that the Guild’s response has been robust and that we’re committed to ensuring Exeter is a safe and inclusive space for everyone.

“We initially conducted an investigation and have taken steps to ensure societies follow our policies to ensure speech is always lawful, allow dialogue between those with different perspectives and experiences, and protect the voice of minority groups. On Monday, we received an open letter which has been shared with us by a number of societies who feel let down by our handling of the Freedom Society investigation. 

“We have continued to listen and reflect on the events that took place and will be learning from these and building practice into a number of areas. On our website, you can read our latest statement, which provides more information and clarity about what we’re doing with our processes and procedures to ensure that everything is in place to stop this happening again. 

“We are working closely with impacted students and student leaders, understanding what more can be done to tackle Islamophobia in our community and coming up with collective actions to make Exeter a safer and more inclusive place.” 

Freedom Society and the University of Exeter have been approached for comment but have no yet responded.