Oxford’s Vice Chancellor speaks out against safe spaces

In a BBC Radio 4 interview this morning, Louise Richardson, the Vice Chancellor of Oxford, has spoken out against safe spaces.

She believes that “universities are the place where we should hear any legal speech and should demonstrate to our students how to confront speech they find objectionable and safe spaces are stopping that from happening.”

Richardson also added: “Those who want safe spaces are trying to restrict the expression of views they find reprehensible and universities are precisely the places where we should hear views that are objectionable, whether they’re from extremists or on the other hand from the students that find them objectionable.”

Earlier on in the month, Theresa May criticised university “safe spaces” – believing they can harm the nation’s economic and social development.

The NUS have announced that they will be protesting for safe spaces on the 19th of November to “show solidarity with international students and staff who are suffering disproportionately in the post-Brexit climate of heightened xenophobia.”